Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of our 3-dimensional (3-D) OCT/SLO system for patients with macular edema. Methods:Thirty eyes (20 patients) with macular edema (18 eyes with diabetic macular edema and 12 eyes with macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion) were included. We developed a new imaging device that combines simultaneously OCT and SLO images in a single instrument. Unlike a conventional SLO, the combined device can operate in a so-called "transversal," or "C-scan," and yields OCT images originating at the same axes and plane as the retina. The C-scan OCT images are thin cross sections of retinal and subretinal structures at a chosen depth. The system also scans laterally along a line to the retina to produce cross-sectional longitudinal OCT images as the Humphrey’s system. Results:This new device precisely demonstrated the structures of the retinal layers and the pathologies in the retina, especially in patients with macular edema. Degree of edema and depth of hard exudates in the retina, were clearly detected in 3-D fashion. In some cases, clear separation between the outer layers of rod and cone layer and retinal pigment epithelium layer was detected. Conclusions:This new technology for the first time enabled us to observe vitreoretinal structures in 3-D fashion in patients with macular edema. This technique is useful to analyze the retina in a manner similar to how computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used for other organs in the human body.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, S • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: sys