July 2019
Volume 60, Issue 9
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   July 2019
Retinotopic mapping of the primary visual cortex as an objective functional adjunct to conventional testing in patients with retinal disease
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Maximilian Pawloff
    Department for ophthalmology and optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Allan Hummer
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Michael Woletz
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Graham E. Holder
    Department of Ophthalmology, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
    Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • Georgios Mylonas
    Department for ophthalmology and optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Markus Ritter
    Department for ophthalmology and optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Christian Windischberger
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
    Department for ophthalmology and optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Maximilian Pawloff, None; Allan Hummer, None; Michael Woletz, None; Graham Holder, None; Georgios Mylonas, None; Markus Ritter, None; Christian Windischberger, None; Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, Böhringer Ingelheim (C), Genentech (C), Novartis (C), Roche (C)
  • Footnotes
    Support  None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science July 2019, Vol.60, 4745. doi:
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      Maximilian Pawloff, Allan Hummer, Michael Woletz, Graham E. Holder, Georgios Mylonas, Markus Ritter, Christian Windischberger, Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth; Retinotopic mapping of the primary visual cortex as an objective functional adjunct to conventional testing in patients with retinal disease. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2019;60(9):4745.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose : The present study describes retinotopic mapping using population receptive field (pRF) mapping based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). FMRI is an ideal method for obtaining detailed retinotopic information of the primary visual cortex in patients with retinal disease. This study aims to address the relationship between fMRI data and data obtained by structural imaging.

Methods : Five patients with Stargardt disease (STGD), and 6 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) were included in the study. Patients were examined using pRF-fMRI and Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Heidelberg SPECTRALIS). SD-OCT volume scans were imported into software enabling grading of areas in B-scans and computing of planimetric measurements in complete volume scans. Functional MRI used pRF mapping using established threshold levels to provide retinotopic data that were then compared with SD-OCT results. Correlation of areas showing loss of outer retinal layers with pRF maps were evaluated and the simple matching coefficient (SMC) was calculated.

Results : Central macular regions in patients with STGD presenting with loss of outer retinal layers showed very good correlation with pRF coverage maps (mean SMC 0.88, SD±0.04). Both approaches clearly delineate corresponding pathological areas at retinal and cortical levels.
Patients with RP exhibited concentric visual field defects on pRF mapping corresponding to outer retinal atrophy on SD OCT imaging. Functional losses estimated from pRF maps were less pronounced compared to structural imaging results (mean SMC 0.41, SD±0.20). Anterior V1 voxels, corresponding to peripheral regions, showed no significant activation.

Conclusions : Retinotopic maps acquired by fMRI provide a valuable adjunct to the assessment of retinal disease to conventional methods. The addition of pRF maps to OCT data allowed for objective assessment of retinal dysfunction independent of patient compliance. The discrepancies between structural imaging and retinal function results indicate cortical plasticity processes.

This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.

 

A STGD patient is shown. There was no activation in voxels near the occipital pole, which usually correspond to central vision. PRF results are displayed in the visual field by a pRF coverage map.

A STGD patient is shown. There was no activation in voxels near the occipital pole, which usually correspond to central vision. PRF results are displayed in the visual field by a pRF coverage map.

 

See Fig. 1. A STGD patient with foveal sparing is shown. Compared to Fig. 1 activation at the occipital pole is shown.

See Fig. 1. A STGD patient with foveal sparing is shown. Compared to Fig. 1 activation at the occipital pole is shown.

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