Enhanced Visualization of Peri-Lesional Micro-Structural Changes in HD-OCT Data Sets, Using Selective Pixel Profiling and RPE Fit Enface Slab Image Enhancement

Abstract

 

Purpose:

 

To use selective pixel profiling (SPP) and enhanced RPE-Fit Slab Enface (ERFS) imaging to increase the visibility of micro-structural changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choriocappillaris (CC), inner segment/outer segment junction (IS/OS), and external limiting membrane (ELM) of high definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) data sets.

 

Methods:

 

128x512 macular cube scans were collected of patients with dry AMD with geographic atrophy as well as patients exhibiting peri-foveal soft drusen using a Carl Zeiss Meditec Cirrus HD-OCT running software version 4.5. Additionally, high definition scans were acquired and enhanced using the SPP algorithms. Using the review software, RPE-fit slabs were created from the 128x512 macular cube scans, which were 100 micron thick. These were placed directly on the RPE, so that the top edge of the slab would be 50 micron above the RPE, and the bottom of the slab would be 50 micron below the RPE . The resulting images were enhanced and segmented using proprietary software (Diagnos Inc) as well as ImageJ 1.42q.

 

Results:

 

The images resulting from both the SPP as well as the ERFS were able to clearly visualize and segment very subtle changes in the photoreceptor/RPE interface as well as show minute changes in the IS/OS and ELM.

 

Conclusions:

 

Being able to visualize very subtle micro-structural changes around dry AMD lesions as well as on and around soft drusen may help us monitor and predict progression more effectively. SPP and ERFS will be a valuable tool to achieve such visualization.  

 

Keywords: retinal pigment epithelium • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • retina: distal (photoreceptors, horizontal cells, bipolar cells)