Factors associated with the signal strengths obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with the signal strengths (SS, image quality scores) of optic disc and macular images obtained using Cirrus spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).


METHODS
Ninety-two glaucomatous eyes were imaged using the Cirrus OCT macular and optic disc cube modes after pupil dilation. The influences of patient age, spherical equivalent, cataract presence, and cataract and glaucoma severity (visual field mean deviation), on the SS of images obtained using the two cube modes were compared between patients whose images showed high SS (SS ≥7) and low SS (SS <7).


RESULTS
The signal strength was significantly higher in images obtained using the macular cube compared to the optic disc cube mode (7.8 ± 1.3 vs. 6.9 ± 1.1, respectively; p = 0.001). Age and visual acuity of patients differed significantly between the high- and low-SS groups when data acquired using the optic disc (p = 0.027 and 0.012, respectively) and macular cube modes (p = 0.046 and 0.014, respectively) were analyzed. When the optic disc cube mode was employed, the extent of cataracts was significantly related to SS, whereas when the macular cube mode was used, none of the factors analyzed was significantly associated with SS.


CONCLUSIONS
Age, visual acuity, and the extent of cataracts were significantly associated with images of higher SS when the Cirrus OCT optic disc cube mode was employed.
Division of Biostatistics, Center for Medical Research and Information, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jung Hwa
JH
Na
Kyung Rim
KR
Sung
Youngrok
Y
Lee
D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods