Algorithm for the Measure of Vitreous Hyperreflective Foci in Optical Coherence Tomographic Scans of Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema.
OBJECTIVE
Developing a noninvasive measure of diabetic retinopathy disease progression may provide physicians with information needed for patient-specific intervention.


OBJECTIVE
To develop an algorithm to measure vitreous hyperreflective foci (VHRF) from standard, 3-dimensional optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images in an unbiased manner.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed OCT scans from 97 patients who were evaluated at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan. Patients with diabetes mellitus without signs of retinopathy (n =  9) and patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) (n = 31) were compared with healthy control participants (n = 37). The algorithm was used to determine whether the VHRF score is associated with DME and may serve as a noninvasive measure of inflammation. The study was conducted from November 14, 2011, to August 5, 2015. Data analysis was performed from May 15, 2014, to August 13, 2015.


METHODS
An algorithm was developed to enhance the vitreous imaging from OCT to allow automated quantification of VHRF and calculation of a VHRF score. This score was compared between the healthy control, diabetes without retinopathy, and DME groups.


RESULTS
In the 97 scans evaluated, VHRF scores, reported as mean (SD), were increased in patients with DME by 2.95-fold (5.60 [8.65]) compared with healthy controls (1.90 [3.42]; 95% CI, 0.75-7.45; P = .012) and by 6.83-fold compared with patients with diabetes without retinopathy (0.82 [1.26]; 95% CI, 1.46-8.82; P = .005).


CONCLUSIONS
Scores obtained using the VHRF algorithm may be obtained from OCT images that include the vitreous and could provide a rapid, noninvasive clinical correlate for ocular inflammation. Higher VHRF scores in patients with DME compared with controls and diabetic patients without retinopathy warrant further population-based and longitudinal studies to help determine the value of the VHRF score in selecting therapeutic intervention.
Beaumont Eye Institute, Royal Oak, Michigan2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Edward
E
Korot
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Grant
G
Comer
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Timothy
T
Steffens
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
David A
DA
Antonetti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human