June 2022
Volume 63, Issue 7
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2022
Depolarization mapping in the retina using polarization-sensitive OCT in a large field of view
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Alice Regina Motschi
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Sylvia Desissaire
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Markus Schranz
    Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Stefan Steiner
    Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Florian Schwarzhans
    Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
    Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Hrvoje Bogunovic
    Christian Doppler Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Philipp Ken Roberts
    Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Clemens Vass
    Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Michael Pircher
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Christoph K Hitzenberger
    Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Alice Motschi None; Sylvia Desissaire None; Markus Schranz None; Stefan Steiner None; Florian Schwarzhans None; Hrvoje Bogunovic None; Philipp Roberts None; Clemens Vass None; Michael Pircher None; Christoph Hitzenberger None
  • Footnotes
    Support  None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2022, Vol.63, 4071 – F0035. doi:
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      Alice Regina Motschi, Sylvia Desissaire, Markus Schranz, Stefan Steiner, Florian Schwarzhans, Hrvoje Bogunovic, Philipp Ken Roberts, Clemens Vass, Michael Pircher, Christoph K Hitzenberger; Depolarization mapping in the retina using polarization-sensitive OCT in a large field of view. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2022;63(7):4071 – F0035.

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

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Abstract

Purpose : To quantify depolarization properties of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to gain more insight into its structure and composition.

Methods : A custom-built spectral domain PS-OCT system operating at 860 nm with an A-scan rate of 70 kHz and an integrated retinal tracker was used to image 45 healthy volunteers (43 ± 16 years) and 19 glaucoma patients (62 ± 10 years) three times each at seven distinct regions around the macula (resulting in 21 measurements each consisting of 250 B-scans × 1024 A-scans and covering an area of 8 × 6 mm2). After standard OCT data processing, the degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU) was calculated and DOPU at the RPE was projected onto an en-face map. The seven maps from the different regions imaged in each subject were averaged over the three measurements per measurement location and stitched together to create a map with a large field of view. On the large maps, a circular grid centered at the fovea, consisting of seven rings with diameters of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 mm and divided into 8 equal sectors, was placed. The mean DOPU value in each field of the grid was calculated for each participant.

Results : The averaged depolarization map of the 45 healthy volunteers (centered at the fovea) in Fig. 1(a) shows DOPU values at the RPE, where low values indicate stronger depolarization. Fig. 1(c) shows that the depolarization is strongest (lowest DOPU) in the rings next to the center (B, C) and that the depolarization is weaker at the center (A) and decreases towards the periphery (D to G). The results don’t seem to differ between men and women, but DOPU values decrease with age.
The averaged depolarization map of the 19 glaucoma patients is shown in Fig. 1(b). It can be observed in Fig. 1(d) that the DOPU distribution in glaucomatous eyes appears to be very similar to healthy eyes, but the DOPU values are in general smaller. Since the glaucoma patients are in average older than the healthy volunteers, this could also be an age effect.

Conclusions : The polarization scrambling properties of the RPE of 45 healthy volunteers and 19 glaucoma patients were displayed in a large field of view map and quantified by calculating DOPU. A varied distribution of depolarization in the fundus could be shown, indicating a heterogeneous distribution of RPE pigmentation and geometry. Glaucomatous eyes showed lower DOPU values but a qualitative distribution similar to healthy eyes.

This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.

 

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