Automated Quantitative Analysis of Retinal Microvasculature in Normal Eyes on Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.
To describe a new automated quantitative technique for displaying and analyzing macular vascular perfusion using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and to determine a normative data set, which might be used as reference in identifying progressive changes due to different retinal vascular diseases.



Reliability study.



A retrospective review of 47 eyes of 47 consecutive healthy subjects imaged with a spectral-domain OCT-A device was performed in a single institution. Full-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography generated OCT angiograms of the retinal superficial and deep capillary plexuses. A fully automated custom-built software was used to provide quantitative data on the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) features and the total vascular and avascular surfaces. A comparative analysis between central macular thickness (and volume) and FAZ metrics was performed. Repeatability and reproducibility were also assessed in order to establish the feasibility and reliability of the method.



The comparative analysis between the superficial capillary plexus and the deep capillary plexus revealed a statistically significant difference (P < .05) in terms of FAZ perimeter, surface, and major axis and a not statistically significant difference (P > .05) when considering total vascular and avascular surfaces. A linear correlation was demonstrated between central macular thickness (and volume) and the FAZ surface. Coefficients of repeatability and reproducibility were less than 0.4, thus demonstrating high intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility for all the examined data.



A quantitative approach on retinal vascular perfusion, which is visible on Spectralis OCT angiography, may offer an objective and reliable method for monitoring disease progression in several retinal vascular diseases.
Centre de l'Odéon, Paris, France; Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Marco
M
Lupidi
Centre de l'Odéon, Paris, France; Department of Ophthalmology, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil, Université Paris Est, Créteil, France.
Florence
F
Coscas
Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Carlo
C
Cagini
Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Tito
T
Fiore
Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Perugia, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Elisa
E
Spaccini
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Perugia, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Daniela
D
Fruttini
Centre de l'Odéon, Paris, France; Department of Ophthalmology, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil, Université Paris Est, Créteil, France. Electronic address: gabriel.coscas@gmail.com.
Gabriel
G
Coscas
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult