Comparison of colour Doppler imaging and retinal scanning laser fluorescein angiography in healthy volunteers and normal pressure glaucoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To correlate retinal circulatory measurements using scanning laser fluorescein angiography and flow velocities of retrobulbar vessels measured by means of colour Doppler imaging.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with normal pressure glaucoma (NPG) and 15 healthy volunteers underwent colour Doppler imaging and fluorescein angiographic studies. Peak systolic velocities (PSVs), end-diastolic velocities (EDVs) and resistive indices (RIs) of the ophthalmic artery (OA) and central retinal artery were obtained. In the fluorescein angiograms arteriovenous passage time (AVP) was quantified by means of digital dye dilution curve analysis.


RESULTS
Arteriovenous passage time was significantly prolonged in NPG patients compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.0026). In the central retinal artery PSV (p = 0.023) and EDV (p < 0.0001) were significantly decreased and RI was increased (p < 0.0001) in patients with NPG. The EDV of the central retinal artery showed a significant correlation with AVP (EDV: r = - 0.53, p = 0.0023). The RI of the central retinal artery correlated significantly to AVP (RI: r = 0.63, p < 0.0001). The AVP did not correlate to EDV or PSV, nor to the RI measured in the ophthalmic artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Arteriovenous passage time, which represents blood flow in a vascular segment of artery, capillary bed and corresponding vein, was found to be correlated to the EDV and the RI of the central retinal artery. The combination of different techniques allows further interpretation of ocular circulatory responses.
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. kkahuber@aol.com
K
K
Huber
N
N
Plange
A
A
Remky
O
O
Arend
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors