Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness and Pituitary Adenoma: An OCT3 Study

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: A previous case report showed abnormalities of retinal nerve fiber layers (RNFL) in pituitary adenoma patients, studied by scanning laser polarimetry. The aim of the present study is to investigate the thickness of RNFL in patients with pituitary adenoma using the Optical Coherence Tomography 3 (OCT3). Methods: 20 patients (13 female, 7 male; age range 18–72, mean age 52.2±15.6) affected by a pituitary adenoma greater than 10 mm in diameter, as showen by magnetic resonance, and 10 normal subjects (6 female, 4 male; age range 25–65, mean age 46.6±12.7), as control, were enrolled in this observational study. Patients were divided in two groups: group 1 including 10 patients in pharmacological treatment (7 female and 3 male; age range 28–72 mean age 49.2±15.2); group 2, including 10 patients (4 male and 6 female; age range18–68) who underwent to surgical treatment of the adenoma at least one year before. Patients undergo an OCT3 exam in order to study the thickness of the RNFL (microns). Four quadrants were studied: superior, nasal, inferior, temporal. For statistical analysis the Student’s T–test was performed. Results: A statistically significant reduction of the mean RNFL of the temporal region in all pituitary adenoma patients was observed if compared with the control group (patients 56.9±13.1 microns; normal 78.4±10.4 microns; p=0.0001). No differences were found for the other quadrants between normals and adenoma patients and between patients pharmacologically treated and patients treated by surgical adenomectomy. Conclusions: It appears that temporal RNFL show a reduced thickness in pituitary adenoma patients. The OCT3 is a valuable tool for the detection of such abnormality.

Keywords: nerve fiber layer • neuro-ophthalmology: diagnosis • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)