Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To characterize and present patterns of oxygen saturation in examples of diabetic retinopathy as depicted by a new non-invasive technique of spectral imaging, OASIS, developed by Applied Spectral Imaging, Midgal Ha'Emek, Israel. Methods: Retinal spectral images were acquired from 17 diabetic patients prior to fluorescein angiography in the Eye Clinic of Ha'Emek Medical Center. Through clinical evaluation, color and fluorescein fundus photography, the following characteristics of diabetic retinopathy were identified: ischemia (regional non-perfusion, cotton wool spots), microaneurysms, hemorrhages, neovascularization of disc and elsewhere. The expression of these findings in oxygen saturation (OS) maps was noted and verified. Results: In the oxygen saturation (OS) maps, retinal hemorrhages consistently manifested themselves as well-defined zones of low OS. Cotton wool spots (soft exudates) demonstrated low OS or no trace of hemoglobin at all. Completely or partially non-perfused (ischemic) regions showed lower OS than observed in the surround. In contrast, neovascularization showed higher OS than its surround. Conclusion: Characteristics of diabetic retinopathy were shown to have their typical statements in retinal oxygen saturation maps as produced non-invasively by OASIS (Applied Spectral Imaging, Ltd.). Thus, this technique may serve as a new and important research and clinical tool for a non-invasive evaluation of many potentially blinding retinal vascular disorders.
Keywords: 388 diabetic retinopathy • 448 ischemia • 483 neovascularization