Quantification of photoreceptor layer thickness in normal eyes using optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the ability to segment and analyze individual intraretinal layers, including the outer retinal complex (ORC; outer nuclear layer and inner and outer segments of the photoreceptor cells), in healthy eyes using images acquired from the latest commercially available optical coherence tomography (OCT) system (StratusOCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA) and from the ultrahigh resolution OCT (UHR-OCT) prototype.


METHODS
Thirty-seven eyes from 37 healthy subjects underwent complete ophthalmologic examination using StratusOCT and UHR-OCT. ORC was identified and measured using a segmentation algorithm.


RESULTS
For StratusOCT, mean weighted ORC thickness +/- SD was 91.1 +/- 7.9 microm, and mean weighted total retinal thickness +/- SD was determined to be 258.9 +/- 10.1 microm. For UHR-OCT, mean weighted ORC thickness +/- SD was 96.4 +/- 6.3 microm, and mean weighted total retinal thickness +/- SD was determined to be 263.4 +/- 9.2 mum. There was a higher rate of algorithm failure with UHR-OCT images.


CONCLUSIONS
Photoreceptor layer thickness can be calculated by measuring ORC on OCT images using a macular segmentation algorithm. ORC values may serve as a useful objective parameter in determining the efficacy of various therapeutic modalities that target the photoreceptor layer in various diseases.
Chan
Annie
A
New England Eye Center, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111-1533, USA.
Duker
Jay S
JS
Ishikawa
Hiroshi
H
Ko
Tony H
TH
Schuman
Joel S
JS
Fujimoto
James G
JG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000166:cytology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*