title: Optical coherence tomography based microangiography for quantitative monitoring of structural and vascular changes in a rat model of acute uveitis in vivo: a preliminary study.
abstract: Uveitis models in rodents are important in the investigation of pathogenesis in human uveitis and the development of appropriate therapeutic strategies for treatment. Quantitative monitoring of ocular inflammation in small animal models provides an objective metric to assess uveitis progression and/or therapeutic effects. We present a new application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-based microangiography (OMAG) to a rat model of acute anterior uveitis induced by intravitreal injection of a killed mycobacterial extract. OCT/OMAG is used to provide noninvasive three-dimensional imaging of the anterior segment of the eyes prior to injection (baseline) and two days post-injection (peak inflammation) in rats with and without steroid treatments. OCT imaging identifies characteristic structural and vascular changes in the anterior segment of the inflamed animals when compared to baseline images. Characteristics of inflammation identified include anterior chamber cells, corneal edema, pupillary membranes, and iris vasodilation. In contrast, no significant difference from the control is observed for the steroid-treated eye. These findings are compared with the histology assessment of the same eyes. In addition, quantitative measurements of central corneal thickness and iris vessel diameter are determined. This pilot study demonstrates that OCT-based microangiography promises to be a useful tool for the assessment and management of uveitis in vivo.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle 98195, Washington, United States.
authors.forename: Woo June
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Ophthalmology, Seattle 98104, Washington, United States.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Pepple
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle 98195, Washington, United States.
authors.forename: Zhongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle 98195, Washington, United StatesbUniversity of Washington, Department of Ophthalmology, Seattle 98104, Washington, United States.
authors.forename: Ruikang K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation; D051381:Rats; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014602:Uvea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids