title: Characterization of peripapillary atrophy using spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the features of peripapillary atrophy (PPA), as imaged by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  SD-OCT imaging of the optic disc was performed on healthy eyes, eyes suspected of having glaucoma, and eyes diagnosed with glaucoma. From the peripheral β-zone, the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), the junction of the inner and outer segments (IS/OS) of the photoreceptor layer, and the Bruch's membrane/retinal pigment epithelium complex layer (BRL) were visualized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen consecutive eyes of 10 subjects were imaged. The RNFL was observed in the PPA β-zone of all eyes, and no eye showed an IS/OS complex in the β-zone. The BRL was absent in the β-zone of two eyes. The BRL was incomplete or showed posterior bowing in the β-zone of five eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The common findings in the PPA β-zone were that the RNFL was present, but the photoreceptor layer was absent. Presence of the BRL was variable in the β-zone areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Byung Gil
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Kyung Rim
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Youngrok
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009896:Optic Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000473:pathology; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*