Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare images of the retina and choroid obtained with Spectralis 1050-nm spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with and without enhanced depth imaging (EDI) to the commercially available 870-nm SD-OCT with and without EDI.
Methods: Full-length 30° line scans were obtained with both 870- and 1050-nm Spectralis OCT instruments, with and without EDI. Two trained retina physicians masked to wavelength and EDI status assessed the ability to visualize the vitreoretinal interface and full-thickness choroid, and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was measured.
Results: Included in the study were 21 eyes. The vitreoretinal interface was visualized best with 870-nm OCT without EDI and was diminished with 1050-nm OCT. Graders preferred 1050 nm with EDI over 870 nm with EDI in qualitative comparisons of the choroid; 1050 nm without EDI was slightly preferred over 870 nm with EDI but was not statistically significant. SFCT measurements correlated well among the imaging modalities except for 870 nm without EDI.
Conclusions: SD-OCT with EDI at 870 nm provides good visualization of both the vitreoretinal interface and choroid, whereas 1050-nm SD-OCT with or without EDI provides more choroidal detail at the expense of visualization of the vitreoretinal interface.
Translational relevance: Use of longer wavelength 1050-nm SD-OCT provides greater choroidal detail compared with 870-nm SD-OCT, but has reduced detail of the vitreoretinal interface. The significance of this trade-off for clinical management of retinal disease needs further evaluation.
Keywords: choroid; longer wavelength; optical coherence tomography (OCT); retina.