Characterization of Long Working Distance Optical Coherence Tomography for Imaging of Pediatric Retinal Pathology

OCT Imaging in Infants

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is widely applied in diagnosis and management of retina diseases particularly macular diseases in adult retina practices. However, it has been under-utilized in pediatric retinal diseases especially in neonates and infants. Utilization of OCT in primary macular diseases in this age group is also uncommon and is less reported. Challenges involved in image acquisition and limitations with available devices technique can explain the limited research and accurate data availability in the literature in this field. Purpose of this review article is to summarize the use of OCT and its importance in various infantile retinal pathologies such as vascular diseases, tumors, retinal dystrophies, and optic nerve pathologies with primary focus on neonates and infants, along with infant choroid. In addition, we also discuss about future directions including OCT angiography for infants.

Contactless optical coherence tomography of the eyes of freestanding individuals with a robotic scanner

Clinical systems for optical coherence tomography (OCT) are used routinely to diagnose and monitor patients with a range of ocular diseases. They are large tabletop instruments operated by trained staff, and require mechanical stabilization of the head of the patient for positioning and motion reduction. Here we report the development and performance of a robot-mounted OCT scanner for the autonomous contactless imaging, at safe distances, of the eyes of freestanding individuals without the need for operator intervention or head stabilization. The scanner uses robotic positioning to align itself with the eye to be imaged, as well as optical active scanning to locate the pupil and to attenuate physiological eye motion. We show that the scanner enables the acquisition of OCT volumetric datasets, comparable in quality to those of clinical tabletop systems, that resolve key anatomic structures relevant for the management of common eye conditions. Robotic OCT scanners may enable the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with eye conditions in non-specialist clinics.

Optical coherence tomography in paediatric clinical practice

Optical coherence tomography is a non-invasive ocular imaging technique that is frequently used in the diagnosis and monitoring of optic nerve or retinal disease. Advances in optical coherence tomography speed and image processing capability allow increased use of the modality in clinical practice, especially in younger children. This review outlines the challenges involved in imaging children, highlights the technological progress, the importance of acquiring normative data and, finally, focuses on the clinical applicability of optical coherence tomography in our paediatric population with various ocular conditions.