title: Quantitative analysis of retinal layers' optical intensities on 3D optical coherence tomography for central retinal artery occlusion.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides not only morphological information but also information about layer-specific optical intensities, which may represent the underlying tissue properties. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively investigate the optical intensity of each retinal layers in central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). Twenty-nine CRAO cases at acute phase and 33 normal controls were included. Macula-centered 3D OCT images were segmented with a fully-automated Iowa Reference Algorithm into 10 layers. Layer-specific mean intensities were determined and compared between the patient and control groups using multiple regression analysis while adjusting for age and optical intensity of the entire region. The optical intensities were higher in CRAO than in controls in layers spanning from the retinal ganglion cell layer to outer plexiform layer (standardized beta = 0.657 to 0.777, all p < 0.001), possibly due to ischemia. Optical intensities were lower at the photoreceptor, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and choroid layers (standardized beta = -0.412 to -0.611, all p < 0.01), possibly due to shadowing effects. Among the intraretinal layers, the inner nuclear layer was identified as the best indicator of CRAO. Our study provides in vivo information of the optical intensity changes in each retinal layer in CRAO patients.
authors.affiliation: Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Haoyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xinjian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Zhiqiao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dehui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Weiqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Jianlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Weifang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Iowa Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonka
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002829:Choroid / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D011859:Radiography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence