High-definition and 3-dimensional imaging of macular pathologies with high-speed ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography

Objective: To assess high-speed ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) image resolution, acquisition speed, image quality, and retinal coverage for the visualization of macular pathologies. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Participants: Five hundred eighty-eight eyes of 327 patients with various macular pathologies. Methods: High-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT images were obtained in 588 eyes of 327 patients with selected macular diseases. Ultrahigh-resolution OCT using Fourier/spectral domain detection achieves similar to 3-mu m axial image resolutions, acquisition speeds of similar to 25 000 axial scans per second, and > 3 times finer resolution and > 50 times higher speed than standard OCT. Three scan protocols were investigated. The first acquires a small number of high-definition images through the fovea. The second acquires a raster series of high-transverse pixel density images. The third acquires 3-dimensional OCT data using a dense raster pattern. Three-dimensional OCT can generate OCT fundus images that enable precise registration of OCT images with the fundus. Using the OCT fundus images, OCT results were correlated with standard ophthalmoscopic examination techniques. Main Outcome Measures: High-definition macular pathologies. Results: Macular holes, age-related macular degeneration, epiretinal membranes, diabetic retinopathy, retinal dystrophies, central serous chorioretinopathy, and other pathologies were imaged and correlated with ophthalmic examination, standard OCT, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography, where applicable. High-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT generates images of retinal pathologies with improved quality, more comprehensive retinal coverage, and more precise registration than standard OCT. The speed preserves retinal topography, thus enabling the visualization of subtle changes associated with disease. High-definition high-transverse pixel density OCT images improve visualization of photoreceptor and pigment epithelial morphology, as well as thin intraretinal and epiretinal structures. Three-dimensional OCT enables comprehensive retinal coverage, reduces sampling errors, and enables assessment of 3-dimensional pathology. Conclusions: High-definition 3-dimensional imaging using high-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT improves image quality, retinal coverage, and registration. This new technology has the potential to become a useful tool for elucidating disease pathogenesis and improving disease diagnosis and management. (c) 2006 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.