title: Comparison between GDx VCC scanning laser polarimetry and Stratus OCT optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis of chronic glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the abilities of scanning laser polarimetry with the variable corneal compensator (GDx VCC) with those of optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT) in discriminating between healthy and early-to-moderate perimetric glaucomatous eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 95 glaucomatous patients (mean deviation - 3.7 +/- 3.0 dB, pattern standard deviation 4.5 +/- 2.7 dB) and 62 control subjects underwent imaging by the GDx VCC and Stratus OCT using both optic nerve head (ONH) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) scan protocols. One eye per patient was considered. Sensitivity at > or = 90% specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) were calculated for each GDx VCC and Stratus OCT index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The largest AROCs with Stratus OCT were associated with cup : disc area ratio (0.88) for ONH scan indices, and with average thickness (0.84) for RNFL scan indices. The nerve fibre indicator provided the greatest AROC for the GDx VCC indices (0.85).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the GDx VCC and Stratus OCT instruments were shown to be useful in the detection of glaucomatous damage. The best performing indices for the GDx VCC and Stratus OCT with both ONH and RNFL scans gave similar AROCs, showing a moderate sensitivity in early-to-moderate glaucoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Udine, Italy. brusini@libero.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brusini
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Salvetat
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeppieri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tosoni
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Felletti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001718:Birefringence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods