title: Mapping owl's eye cells of patients with cytomegalovirus corneal endotheliitis using in vivo laser confocal microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To produce a two-dimensional reconstruction map of owl's eye cells using in vivo laser confocal microscopy in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) corneal endotheliitis, and to demonstrate any association between owl's eye cells and coin-shaped lesions observed with slit-lamp biomicroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients (75- and 77-year-old men) with polymerase chain reaction-proven CMV corneal endotheliitis were evaluated in this study. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy and in vivo laser confocal microscopy were performed. Images of owl's eye cells in the endothelial cell layer were arranged and mapped into subconfluent montages. Montage images of owl's eye cells were then superimposed on a slit-lamp photo of the corresponding coin-shaped lesion. Degree of concordance between the confocal microscopic images and slit-lamp photos was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both eyes, a two-dimensional reconstruction map of the owl's eye cells was created by computer software using acquired confocal images; the maps showed circular patterns. Superimposing montage images of owl's eye cells onto the photos of a coin-shaped lesion showed good concordance in the two eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that there is an association between owl's eye cells observed by confocal microscopy and coin-shaped lesions observed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy in patients with CMV corneal endotheliitis. The use of in vivo laser confocal microscopy may provide clues as to the underlying causes of CMV corneal endotheliitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokogawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000821:virology*; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral