TY - JOUR

T1 - Validation of retinal oximetry vessel selection using fluorescein angiography in patients with optic disc drusen

AU - Guldfeldt, Mia Uhre

AU - Pilegaard, Freja Pind

AU - Malmqvist, Lasse

AU - Klefter, Oliver Niels

AU - Hamann, Steffen

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Retinal oximetry could provide insights into the pathophysiology of optic nerve disease, including optic disc drusen (ODD). Vessel selection for oximetry analysis is based on morphological characteristics of arterioles and venules and supported by an overlay of estimated blood oxygen saturations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the validity of this vessel selection procedure by comparing it with vessel selection supported by video fluorescein angiography (FA). The study included 36 eyes of 36 patients with ODD who underwent retinal oximetry (Oxymap retinal oximeter T1) followed by FA (Heidelberg Spectralis). Two trained graders selected vessel segments in a pre-defined measurement area around the optic disc. One of these graders additionally performed the vessel segment selection with the support of FA images. When performed by the same grader, FA-supported and non-FA-supported vessel selection did not lead to significant differences in total vessel segment length, estimated oxygen saturations or vessel diameters (all p > 0.05). Inter-grader differences were found for arterial and venous segment lengths and arterial saturation (p < 0.05). A similar tendency was found for the arteriovenous saturation difference (p = 0.10). In conclusion, identifying vessel segments for retinal oximetry analysis based on vessel morphology and supported by a color-coded saturation overlay appears to be a valid method without the need for invasive angiography. A numerically small inter-grader variation may influence oximetry results. Further studies of retinal oximetry in ODD are warranted.

AB - Retinal oximetry could provide insights into the pathophysiology of optic nerve disease, including optic disc drusen (ODD). Vessel selection for oximetry analysis is based on morphological characteristics of arterioles and venules and supported by an overlay of estimated blood oxygen saturations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the validity of this vessel selection procedure by comparing it with vessel selection supported by video fluorescein angiography (FA). The study included 36 eyes of 36 patients with ODD who underwent retinal oximetry (Oxymap retinal oximeter T1) followed by FA (Heidelberg Spectralis). Two trained graders selected vessel segments in a pre-defined measurement area around the optic disc. One of these graders additionally performed the vessel segment selection with the support of FA images. When performed by the same grader, FA-supported and non-FA-supported vessel selection did not lead to significant differences in total vessel segment length, estimated oxygen saturations or vessel diameters (all p > 0.05). Inter-grader differences were found for arterial and venous segment lengths and arterial saturation (p < 0.05). A similar tendency was found for the arteriovenous saturation difference (p = 0.10). In conclusion, identifying vessel segments for retinal oximetry analysis based on vessel morphology and supported by a color-coded saturation overlay appears to be a valid method without the need for invasive angiography. A numerically small inter-grader variation may influence oximetry results. Further studies of retinal oximetry in ODD are warranted.

KW - Fluorescein angiography

KW - In vivo imaging

KW - Optic disc drusen

KW - Oxymap

KW - Retinal blood flow

KW - Retinal diseases

KW - Retinal oximetry

KW - Retinal vessel saturation

U2 - 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109882

DO - 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109882

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38582182

AN - SCOPUS:85190271739

VL - 243

JO - Experimental Eye Research

JF - Experimental Eye Research

SN - 0014-4835

M1 - 109882

ER -