Three-dimensional ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography imaging of age-related macular degeneration

Opt Express. 2009 Mar 2;17(5):4046-60. doi: 10.1364/oe.17.004046.

Abstract

Ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) enhances the ability to visualize different intra retinal layers. In age-related macular degeneration (AMD), pathological changes in individual retinal layers, including photoreceptor inner and outer segments and retinal pigment epithelium, can be detected. OCT using spectral / Fourier domain detection enables high speed, volumetric imaging of the macula, which provides comprehensive three-dimensional tomographic and morphologic information. We present a case series of AMD patients, from mild drusen to more advanced geographic atrophy and exudative AMD. Patients were imaged with a research prototype, ultrahigh resolution spectral / Fourier domain OCT instrument with 3.5 microm axial image resolution operating at 25,000 axial scans per second. These cases provide representative volumetric datasets of well-documented AMD pathologies which could be used for the development of visualization and imaging processing methods and algorithms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Atrophy
  • Female
  • Fourier Analysis
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Macular Degeneration / pathology*
  • Macular Degeneration / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retinal Drusen / pathology
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / pathology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / statistics & numerical data