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Assessment of retinal vascular network in amnestic mild cognitive impairment by optical coherence tomography angiography.
Criscuolo, C, Cennamo, G, Montorio, D, Carotenuto, A, Strianese, A, Salvatore, E, Tranfa, F, Cennamo, G, Lanzillo, R, Brescia Morra, V
PloS one. 2020;(6):e0233975
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the presence of retinal vascular network abnormalities in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients and healthy subjects (HS) through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS OCTA and SD-OCT were performed in aMCI patients and cognitive normal HS. A complete neuropsychological evaluation was performed. Differences in vessel density (VD) in each retinal vascular plexus and in foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were evaluated with linear mixed model after correction for age, sex and disease duration. RESULTS Twenty-seven aMCI patients (10 Single domain aMCI, 17 Multidomain aMCI) and 29 HS were enrolled. aMCI patients showed a statistically significant reduced VD in superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and an increased FAZ compared to controls. When aMCI patients were divided in single domain (SD) and multiple domains (MD) aMCI, SD aMCI showed no VD differences in SCP, DCP and Radial Peripapillary Capillary, while the FAZ area was significantly larger compared to controls. In MD aMCI, VD values were lower and FAZ was increased compared to controls. Comparing both aMCI groups, MD aMCI showed a significant reduction in VD values of SCP. No correlation was found between mini mental state examination (MMSE) scores and OCTA parameters. CONCLUSIONS OCTA is able to detect changes in retinal microvascular network in early cognitive deficits and, the most sensitive alteration seems to be the enlargement of the FAZ. This non-invasive tool provides useful information on retinal involvement patterns in MCI diagnosis and follow up. Vascular network impairment seems to be related to the number of domains affected and not to MMSE.
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Interaction Between the Distribution of Diabetic Retinopathy Lesions and the Association of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Scans With Diabetic Retinopathy Severity.
Ashraf, M, Sampani, K, Rageh, A, Silva, PS, Aiello, LP, Sun, JK
JAMA ophthalmology. 2020;(12):1291-1297
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IMPORTANCE Studies have not yet determined whether the distribution of lesions in the retinal periphery alters the association between the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and macular vessel density. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of DR lesion distribution with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) metrics and DR severity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center for diabetic eye disease among 225 patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes who had undergone imaging between February 15, 2016, and December 31, 2019. EXPOSURES Optical coherence tomography angiography 3 × 3-mm macular scans and ultra-widefield color imaging. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Optical coherence tomography angiography vessel density in the superficial capillary plexus, intermediate capillary plexus, and deep capillary plexus and choriocapillaris flow density. The severity of DR and the predominantly peripheral lesions (PPL) were evaluated from ultra-widefield color imaging. RESULTS The study evaluated 352 eyes (225 patients; 125 men [55.6%]; mean [SD] age, 52.1 [15.1] years), of which 183 eyes (52.0%) had mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), 71 eyes (20.2%) had moderate NPDR, and 98 eyes (27.8%) had severe NPDR or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In eyes with no PPL (209 [59.4%]), the mean (SD) vessel density in the superficial capillary plexus (mild NPDR, 38.1% [4.7%]; moderate NPDR, 36.4% [4.6%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 34.1% [4.1%]; P < .001) and the deep capillary plexus (mild NPDR, 45.8% [3.0%]; moderate NPDR, 45.8% [2.2%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 44.5% [1.9%]; P = .002), as well as the mean (SD) choriocapillaris flow density (mild NPDR, 69.7% [6.2%]; moderate NPDR, 67.6% [5.6%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 67.1% [5.6%]; P = .01), decreased with increasing DR severity. These associations remained statistically significant even after correcting for age, signal strength index, spherical equivalent, duration of diabetes, type of diabetes, and correlation between eyes of the same patient. In eyes with PPL (143 [40.6%]), mean (SD) vessel density in the superficial capillary plexus (mild NPDR, 34.1% [4.1%]; moderate NPDR, 35.2% [4.1%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 36.0% [4.3%]; P = .42) and the deep capillary plexus (mild NPDR, 44.5% [1.7%]; moderate NPDR, 45.4% [1.4%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 44.9% [1.5%]; P = .81), as well as the mean (SD) choriocapillaris flow density (mild NPDR, 67.1% [5.6%]; moderate NPDR, 69.3% [4.6%]; severe NPDR or PDR, 68.3% [5.6%]; P = .49), did not appear to change with increasing DR severity. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These results suggest that central retinal vessel density is associated with DR severity in eyes without, but not with, PPL. These findings suggest a potential need to stratify future optical coherence tomography angiography studies of eyes with DR by the presence or absence of PPL. If DR onset and worsening are associated with the location of retinal nonperfusion, assessment of global retinal nonperfusion using widefield angiography may improve the ability to evaluate DR severity and risk of DR worsening over time.
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Multi-label classification of retinal lesions in diabetic retinopathy for automatic analysis of fundus fluorescein angiography based on deep learning.
Pan, X, Jin, K, Cao, J, Liu, Z, Wu, J, You, K, Lu, Y, Xu, Y, Su, Z, Jiang, J, et al
Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie. 2020;(4):779-785
Abstract
PURPOSE To automatically detect and classify the lesions of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) images using deep learning algorithm through comparing 3 convolutional neural networks (CNNs). METHODS A total of 4067 FFA images from Eye Center at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were annotated with 4 kinds of lesions of DR, including non-perfusion regions (NP), microaneurysms, leakages, and laser scars. Three CNNs including DenseNet, ResNet50, and VGG16 were trained to achieve multi-label classification, which means the algorithms could identify 4 retinal lesions above at the same time. RESULTS The area under the curve (AUC) of DenseNet reached 0.8703, 0.9435, 0.9647, and 0.9653 for detecting NP, microaneurysms, leakages, and laser scars, respectively. For ResNet50, AUC was 0.8140 for NP, 0.9097 for microaneurysms, 0.9585 for leakages, and 0.9115 for laser scars. And for VGG16, AUC was 0.7125 for NP, 0.5569 for microaneurysms, 0.9177 for leakages, and 0.8537 for laser scars. CONCLUSIONS Experimental results demonstrate that DenseNet is a suitable model to automatically detect and distinguish retinal lesions in the FFA images with multi-label classification, which lies the foundation of automatic analysis for FFA images and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment decision-making for DR.
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Vitreoretinal Interface Slab in OCT Angiography for Detecting Diabetic Retinal Neovascularization.
Hirano, T, Hoshiyama, K, Hirabayashi, K, Wakabayashi, M, Toriyama, Y, Tokimitsu, M, Murata, T
Ophthalmology. Retina. 2020;(6):588-594
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare neovascularization identified in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) eyes by widefield swept-source (SS) OCT angiography (OCTA) using vitreoretinal interface (VRI) slab images, composed by automated and manual segmentation, with that identified by fluorescein angiography (FA). DESIGN Retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS Forty-two eyes of 30 treatment-naïve PDR patients who visited the outpatient clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University, from June 2018 through October 2019. METHODS All patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations, including SS-OCTA and FA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Neovascularization detected by en face SS-OCTA 15 × 15-mm VRI slab images and by FA in the same 15 × 15-mm areas were compared in terms of number and structure. RESULTS Among 100 neovascularizations detected by FA, 73 also were visualized as neovascularization in SS-OCTA VRI slab images using automated segmentation. The sensitivity of VRI slab images for detecting neovascularization was 73%. Among the remaining 27 neovascularizations detected only by FA, but not by VRI slab, 15 were intraretinal microvascular abnormalities with fluorescence leakage, 1 was a diabetic papillopathy, and 11 were flat neovascularizations on the internal limiting membrane surface that were missed because of segmentation error. Conversely, among the 98 neovascularizations detected on VRI slab images, 25 were not detected as neovascularizations by FA. They included 9 small neovascularizations that exhibited too little leakage on FA and 16 false-positive results that were the result of segmentation errors. After reconstruction of SS-OCTA VRI slab images by means of manual segmentation, the sensitivity of VRI slab images for detecting neovascularizations increased to 84%. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of SS-OCTA VRI slab images for detecting neovascularizations in PDR was comparable with that of FA. Swept-source OCTA VRI slab images may be better than FA for identifying intraretinal microvascular abnormalities and diabetic papillopathy from neovascularizations. Notably, however, FA and SS-OCTA VRI slab images demonstrated differences in identification efficacy in cases of small and flat neovascularizations. Further exploration of SS-OCTA technology is warranted to address this issue.
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Evaluation of different Swept'Source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) slabs for the detection of features of diabetic retinopathy.
Tian, M, Wolf, S, Munk, MR, Schaal, KB
Acta ophthalmologica. 2020;(4):e416-e420
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PURPOSE To compare different Swept-Source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) slabs for the detection of features of diabetic retinopathy (DR), to find the most suitable slab for grading. METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients with DR were evaluated using SS-OCTA. The central 12 × 12 mm scan was used to generate the retinal, superficial and deep slab. The grading results of the slabs were then compared to determine if one specific slab is superior to detect respective features. RESULTS A total of 348 eyes (190 patients; mean age 58.1 ± 14.5 years) were graded for features of DR. The retinal slab detected most frequently MAs and IRMAs, however with no significant difference compared to the superficial slab (p = 0.93 and p = 0.93, respectively). Small capillary dropout was most frequently found on the superficial slab, but there was no significant difference compared with the retinal (p = 0.78) and deep slab (p = 0.45). The only statistically significant difference was found for large capillary dropout, where the retinal and superficial slab showed a higher detection rate compared with the deep slab (p ≤ 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The superficial and retinal slabs are equally suitable for grading with no statistically significant difference in the detection rate of the diabetic features examined.
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Changes in choroidal vascular parameters following pan-retinal photocoagulation using swept-source optical coherence tomography.
Kim, JT, Park, N
Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie. 2020;(1):39-47
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess the effect of pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP) on choroidal vascular parameters in eyes with advanced diabetic retinopathy (DR). METHODS Forty patients (65 eyes) with severe nonproliferative DR or proliferative DR who underwent PRP were included. Changes in choroidal vascular parameters were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months after PRP by using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography and were compared with baseline values. RESULTS Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) significantly decreased from 66.27% ± 1.55% at baseline to 65.85% ± 1.61%, 65.77% ± 1.29%, and 65.74% ± 1.60% at 3, 6, and 12 months after PRP, respectively. The ratio of luminal area to stromal area (L/S ratio) also significantly decreased from 1.98 ± 0.15 at baseline to 1.94 ± 0.14, 1.95 ± 0.13, and 1.93 ± 0.14 at 3, 6, and 12 months after PRP, respectively. The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) similarly showed a significant decrease from 319.50 ± 56.64 μm at baseline to 299. 07 ± 51.14 μm, 294.70 ± 58.96 μm, and 280.93 ± 53.57 μm at 3, 6, and 12 months after PRP, respectively. However, the choriocapillaris vessel density in both the fovea and parafovea showed no significant differences following PRP. CONCLUSION Eyes with advanced DR showed a significant reduction in CVI, L/S ratio, and SFCT over 12 months after PRP treatment.
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Characteristic distribution of microaneurysms and capillary dropouts in diabetic macular edema.
Takamura, Y, Yamada, Y, Noda, K, Morioka, M, Hashimoto, Y, Gozawa, M, Matsumura, T, Inatani, M
Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie. 2020;(8):1625-1630
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the distribution pattern of microaneurysms (MAs) and capillary dropouts (CDOs) related to retinal thickness in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS We designed a cross-sectional observational study in which we manually merged fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) map and located MAs and CDOs areas. The density of MAs, the width and the length of circumference of CDOs, and the number of MAs adjacent to CDOs were compared between highly thickened (white area (WA) in OCT map) and border areas (red area (RA)). RESULTS We examined 115 eyes of 115 patients with DME. The density of MAs in RA (1.086 ± 0.616) was significantly higher than that in WA (0.8601 ± 1.086) (p = 0.002). The MA rates adjacent to CDOs in WA and RA were 79.1% and 80.7%, respectively. In the RA, the size of CDO adjacent to MAs was smaller (p = 0.013), but its circumference was longer (p = 0.018), and the number of MAs adjacent to CDOs was larger than those in WA (p = 0.002). The total length of circumference of CDOs was significantly correlated with the number of MAs adjacent to CDOs in WA (p = 0.011, R2 = 0.68) and RA (p = 0.008, R2 = 0.81). CONCLUSION Smaller but more CDOs with longer circumference adjacent to MAs contribute to the higher density of MAs in the surrounding areas of DME.
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PHOTORECEPTOR DAMAGE IN DIABETIC CHOROIDOPATHY.
Borrelli, E, Palmieri, M, Viggiano, P, Ferro, G, Mastropasqua, R
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2020;(6):1062-1069
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between choriocapillaris (CC) hypoperfusion and photoreceptor alterations in eyes with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). METHODS In this prospective, observational, case-control study, 30 eyes (30 patients) with NPDR and 30 healthy eyes from 30 controls were enrolled at the University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy. This study cohort underwent an ophthalmologic examination, including optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography. The main outcome measures were as follows: 1) "normalized" reflectivity of en face image segmented at the ellipsoid zone level, which was calculated to quantify the photoreceptor damage, and 2) CC perfusion density. Secondary outcome measures were as follows: 1) superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP), intermediate retinal capillary plexus (ICP), and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) perfusion density (based on the area of vessels); 2) SCP, ICP, and DCP vessel length density (based on a map with vessels of 1-pixel width); and 3) SCP, ICP, and DCP vessel diameter. RESULTS Mean ± SD age was 58.9 ± 11.1 years (range 38-79 years) in the NPDR group and 61.7 ± 11.3 years (range 39-87 years) in the control group (P > 0.05 for all the comparisons). Compared with controls, NPDR eyes displayed a lower "normalized" reflectivity (0.96 ± 0.25 in controls and 0.73 ± 0.19 in the NPDR group, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the NPDR group was characterized by an impaired perfusion in both the retinal and choroidal vasculature. In multiple regression analysis, ellipsoid zone "normalized" reflectivity displayed a significant direct association with CC perfusion density in patients with NPDR (P = 0.025 and P = 0.476, in NPDR and controls, respectively). CONCLUSION Eyes with NPDR are affected by macular hypoperfusion and photoreceptor damage, the latter investigated as ellipsoid zone "normalized" reflectivity. The diabetic choroidopathy seems to be strongly associated with photoreceptor damage.
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SEVERITY OF DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA CORRELATES WITH RETINAL VASCULAR BED AREA ON ULTRA-WIDE FIELD FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY: DAVE Study.
Fan, W, Uji, A, Wang, K, Falavarjani, KG, Wykoff, CC, Brown, DM, Van Hemert, J, Sagong, M, Sadda, SR, Ip, M
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2020;(6):1029-1037
Abstract
PURPOSE To quantify retinal nonperfusion area and retinal vascular bed area (RVBA) in mm on ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) and explore their relationship with the severity of DME. METHODS Prospective, observational case series. Baseline ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography images of 40 eyes from 29 patients with treatment-naive DME who participated in the DAVE study (NCT01552408) were stereographically projected at Doheny Image Reading Center. The retinal vasculature was automatically extracted to calculate RVBA. Nonperfusion area was manually delineated by two masked certified graders. Retinal vascular bed area and nonperfusion area were computed in mm automatically by adjusting for peripheral distortion and then correlated with the severity of DME. RESULTS The global RVBA for the entire retina in eyes with DME was increased compared with healthy controls (54.7 ± 16.6 mm vs. 37.2 ± 9.9 mm, P < 0.001) and correlated with the severity of DME (P < 0.05). Retinal ischemia (nonperfusion area) was nonuniformly distributed and not related to DME extent (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Eyes with DME have an increased RVBA compared with healthy controls. The severity of DME appears to be related to global RVBA, but not to retinal ischemia.
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ACUTE MACULAR AND PERIPAPILLARY ANGIOGRAPHIC CHANGES WITH INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS.
Barash, A, Chui, TYP, Garcia, P, Rosen, RB
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2020;(4):648-656
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PURPOSE Intravitreal injections acutely and temporarily increase intraocular pressure (IOP), and this may have cumulative long-term effects including an increased risk for glaucoma surgery. This study was designed to measure retinal perfusion density changes on optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography and OCT thickness alterations associated with acutely increased IOP after intravitreal injections. METHODS Retrospective observational clinical study of 40 eyes (39 patients) with various retinopathies from October 2016 to June 2017 at a tertiary care retina clinic in NYC. Patients were older than 18 years, with vision >20/100, able to fixate and without media opacities precluding OCT angiography, receiving intravitreal bevacizumab or aflibercept for diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, macular degeneration, retinal neovascularization, or radiation retinopathy. The 3-mm × 3-mm macular and 4.5-mm × 4.5-mm peripapillary OCT angiography perfusion density, macular OCT thickness, and IOP were measured before and immediately after intravitreal injections. Paired t-test was used to compare preinjection and postinjection values for perfusion density and OCT thickness. Regression analysis was performed for potential effects of baseline IOP, IOP change, and age. RESULTS Statistically significant decreases in angiographic perfusion density (P < 0.05) were found in most areas of the superficial and deep layer macular OCT angiography, and the overall optic nerve head and the radial peripapillary capillary layer, preferentially temporal. Macular OCT thickness was significantly decreased in the temporal region and increased in the nasal region. Regression analysis showed relationships between age and decreased superficial macular perfusion. Preinjection IOP was only related to OCT thickness in the fovea. Intraocular pressure change was related only to decreased superficial macular perfusion density. CONCLUSION Intravitreal injections produce acute IOP changes that are associated with reduced macular and peripapillary perfusion density. Therefore, it is possible that patients receiving regular intravitreal injections may be sustaining perfusion-related injury to ocular structures that may produce glaucomatous damage to the macula and optic nerve.