title: Quantitative Noninvasive Angiography of the Fovea Centralis Using Speckle Variance Optical Coherence Tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the utility of speckle variance optical coherence tomography (svOCT), a noninvasive angiographic technique, for evaluating the foveal vasculature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve normal human eyes were imaged with svOCT (1060-nm, 100-kHz custom-built system) and fluorescein angiography (FA; Topcon TRC-50DX with 5.0 megapixel resolution camera). Manual tracing techniques were used to quantify the foveal vasculature, including foveal avascular zone (FAZ) metrics (area, perimeter, greatest diameter, and lowest diameter). Reproducibility of these measurements was determined. The FAZ was imaged in 25 normal eyes using svOCT and 15 donor eyes using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Retinal capillary plexuses in donor eyes were perfusion-labeled with phalloidin conjugated to Alexa Fluor 546.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Speckle variance OCT is able to stratify the foveal circulation into inner and deep capillary plexuses as well as reliably quantify and assess the morphometric dimensions of the human FAZ. Capillary density measurements were significantly greater in svOCT than FA (31.2 ± 1.6% vs. 19.3 ± 1.9% of total tissue area; P < 0.001). Measurements were highly reproducible (all P > 0.366). All FAZ metrics were significantly lower in histology than svOCT (all P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Speckle variance OCT permits precise, reproducible, and noninvasive visualization of the human foveal vasculature. Speckle variance OCT may become an important adjunct in evaluating patients with retinal vascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Zaid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mammo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 2Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
authors.forename: Chandrakumar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balaratnasingam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heisler
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merkur
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirker
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albiani
authors.affiliation: Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York, New York, United States 4Luesther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan, Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: K Bailey
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Marinko V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sarunic
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: Dao-Yi
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000098:blood supply*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*