May 2006
Volume 47, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2006
Is a 3.4mm Diameter Appropriate for Optical Coherence Tomography Nerve Fiber Layer Analysis?
M.L. Gabriele; H. Ishikawa; G. Wollstein; R.A. Bilonick; L. Kagemann; M. Wojtkowski; J.S. Duker; V. Srinivasan; J.G. Fujimoto; J.S. Schuman
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • M.L. Gabriele
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • H. Ishikawa
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • G. Wollstein
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • R.A. Bilonick
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • L. Kagemann
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • M. Wojtkowski
    Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
  • J.S. Duker
    New England Eye Center, Tufts–New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
  • V. Srinivasan
    Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
  • J.G. Fujimoto
    Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
  • J.S. Schuman
    UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  M.L. Gabriele, None; H. Ishikawa, None; G. Wollstein, None; R.A. Bilonick, None; L. Kagemann, None; M. Wojtkowski, None; J.S. Duker, None; V. Srinivasan, None; J.G. Fujimoto, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., P; J.S. Schuman, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., C; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., P.
  • Footnotes
    Support  NIH Grants RO1–EY013178–6, RO1–EY11289–20, and P30–EY008098, Research to Prevent Blindness and The Eye and Ear Foundation (Pittsburgh) NSF ECS–0119452, AFOSR FA9550–040–1–0046
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2006, Vol.47, 3348. doi:
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      M.L. Gabriele, H. Ishikawa, G. Wollstein, R.A. Bilonick, L. Kagemann, M. Wojtkowski, J.S. Duker, V. Srinivasan, J.G. Fujimoto, J.S. Schuman; Is a 3.4mm Diameter Appropriate for Optical Coherence Tomography Nerve Fiber Layer Analysis? . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2006;47(13):3348.

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Abstract

Purpose: : To test the hypothesis that the standard 3.4 mm diameter circumpapillary scan measures retinal nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness in a region of low NFL thickness variability.

Methods: : We obtained two–dimensional NFL thickness measurements on raster scan data (501x180 axial scans in a 6x6 mm region, acquisition time ∼4 seconds, centered on the optic nerve head (ONH)) using high–speed, ultrahigh–resolution OCT (OCT with Fourier / spectral domain detection) in twelve healthy subjects. Criteria for acceptable images were no eye movements or blinking and consistent signal quality across the scan. NFL thickness was measured on this three–dimensional data set using a software program of our own design. The disc margin was defined subjectively in each image and average NFL thickness relative to the distance from the center of ONH was computed for each quadrant. Spline curves were fit to NFL thickness profile graphs in order to find the point at which the derivative of the curve was 0, which represented the least variable location.

Results: : NFL thickness data showed consistent characteristics: a plateau of high NFL thickness was seen near the disc margin in both the superior and inferior quadrants, while NFL thickness decayed without a plateau in the temporal and nasal quadrants. The radial location of the point of most prominent NFL thickness in each quadrant showed significant correlation with disc size except for superior quadrant (r=0.66, p=0.02 (temporal); r=0.30, p=0.33 (superior); r=0.79, p=0.002 (nasal), and r=0.76, p=0.004 (inferior)). The distance from the least variable location to the 3.4 mm circle sample location was significantly smaller than half of the plateau size in both superior and inferior quadrants (0.13 ± 0.11 vs 0.29 ± 0.08 (superior) and 0.16 ± 0.13 vs 0.26 ± 0.08 mm (inferior), both p<0.008, paired t–test). The 3.4 mm circle was within the plateau for most cases.

Conclusions: : The standard fixed 3.4 mm diameter circle for OCT NFL assessment sampled a location of low NFL thickness variability despite the fact that the radial location of the point of most prominent NFL thickness was proportional to disc size in 3 out of 4 quadrants.

Keywords: imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • nerve fiber layer • imaging/image analysis: clinical 
© 2006, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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