Precision of a new SS-OCT biometer to measure anterior segment parameters and agreement with 3 instruments with different measurement principles

PURPOSE

To evaluate the repeatability of a new swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT)-based biometer to measure anterior segment parameters and to assess the agreement with 3 other imaging devices based on different measurement principles.

SETTING

Unit of Eye and Vision, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

DESIGN

Prospective, comparative case series.

METHODS

3 consecutive measurements were obtained in unoperated eyes with the Eyestar900 (SS-OCT), Lenstar 900, MS-39, and Sirius. The following anterior segment parameters were evaluated: central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal diameter (CD), aqueous depth (AQD), and corneal power metrics. The repeatability limit (Rlim), coefficient of variation (CoV), and a repeated measures Bland-Altman analysis were performed.

RESULTS

74 eyes of 74 participants were measured. The Rlims for CCT, CD, and AQD were lower than 10 μm, 0.3 mm, and 0.10 mm for all devices, respectively. The corresponding CoVs for these parameters never exceeded 1.2%. The Rlim for the corneal power metrics never exceeded 0.60 diopter (D) for any of the instruments. Lenstar showed the best agreement with the MS-39 to measure CCT, CD, and AQD (limit of agreement interval, LoA: 15.54 μm, 0.55 mm, and 0.16 mm, respectively). The mean difference for keratometry parameters was lower than 0.3 D for all device comparisons, and the LoA interval ranged between 0.52 D and 1.21 D.

CONCLUSIONS

The repeatability for measuring anterior segment parameters was good, and the agreement among all the instruments was good for CD and AQD measurements. However, for CCT and keratometer parameters, the instruments cannot be used interchangeably due to large LoA interval.

Impact of lens autofluorescence and opacification on retinal imaging

BACKGROUND

Retinal imaging, including fundus autofluorescence (FAF), strongly depends on the clearness of the optical media. Lens status is crucial since the ageing lens has both light-blocking and autofluorescence (AF) properties that distort image analysis. Here, we report both lens opacification and AF metrics and the effect on automated image quality assessment.

METHODS

227 subjects (range: 19-89 years old) received quantitative AF of the lens (LQAF), Scheimpflug, anterior chamber optical coherence tomography as well as blue/green FAF (BAF/GAF), and infrared (IR) imaging. LQAF values, the Pentacam Nucleus Staging score and the relative lens reflectivity were extracted to estimate lens opacification. Mean opinion scores of FAF and IR image quality were compiled by medical readers. A regression model for predicting image quality was developed using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Correlation analysis was conducted to assess the association of lens scores, with retinal image quality derived from human or CNN annotations.

RESULTS

Retinal image quality was generally high across all imaging modalities (IR (8.25±1.99) >GAF >BAF (6.6±3.13)). CNN image quality prediction was excellent (average mean absolute error (MAE) 0.9). Predictions were comparable to human grading. Overall, LQAF showed the highest correlation with image quality grading criteria for all imaging modalities (eg, Pearson correlation±CI -0.35 (-0.50 to 0.18) for BAF/LQAF). BAF image quality was most vulnerable to an increase in lenticular metrics, while IR (-0.19 (-0.38 to 0.01)) demonstrated the highest resilience.

CONCLUSION

The use of CNN-based retinal image quality assessment achieved excellent results. The study highlights the vulnerability of BAF to lenticular remodelling. These results can aid in the development of cut-off values for clinical studies, ensuring reliable data collection for the monitoring of retinal diseases.

Personalized Lens Correction Improves Quantitative Fundus Autofluorescence Analysis

Purpose

Quantitative fundus autofluorescence (QAF) currently deploys an age-based score to correct for lens opacification. However, in elderly people, lens opacification varies strongly between individuals of similar age, and innate lens autofluorescence is not included in the current correction formula. Our goal was to develop and compare an individualized formula.

Methods

One hundred thirty participants were examined cross-sectionally, and a subset of 30 participants received additional multimodal imaging 2-week post-cataract-surgery. Imaging included the Scheimpflug principle, anterior chamber optical coherence tomography (AC-OCT), lens quantitative autofluorescence (LQAF), and retinal QAF imaging. Among the subset, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and backward selection was implemented to determine which lens score best predicts the QAF value after lens extraction. Subsequently, a spline mixed model was applied to the whole cohort to quantify the influence of LQAF and Scheimpflug on QAF.

Results

Age and LQAF measurements were found to be the most relevant variables, whereas AC-OCT measurements and Scheimpflug were eliminated by backward selection. Both an increase in Scheimpflug and LQAF values were associated with a decrease in QAF. The prediction error of the spline model (mean absolute error [MAE] ± standard deviation) of 32.2 ± 23.4 (QAF a.u.) was markedly lower compared to the current age-based formula MAE of 96.1 ± 93.5. Both smooth terms, LQAF (P < 0.01) and Scheimpflug (P < 0.001), were significant for the spline mixed model.

Conclusions

LQAF imaging proved to be the most predictive for the impact of the natural lens on QAF imaging. The application of lens scores in the clinic could improve the accuracy of QAF imaging interpretation and might allow including aged patients in future QAF studies.

Inter-rater Reliability and Repeatability of Manual Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Image Grading in Keratoconus

OBJECTIVES

To determine the repeatability of corneal measurements from anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images using ImageJ software in healthy eyes compared with eyes with keratoconus.

METHODS

Anterior segment OCT images of 25 eyes from 14 healthy subjects and 25 eyes from 15 subjects with keratoconus between the ages of 20 and 80 years were evaluated. Two trained observers used ImageJ to measure the central corneal cross-sectional area and anterior and posterior corneal arc lengths. MedCalc statistical software was used to generate the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots (BAPs) for observer measurements.

RESULTS

Observer measurements of the central corneal cross-sectional area and anterior and posterior corneal arc lengths yielded an ICC >0.7. The ICC comparing the 3 parameters ranged from 0.75 to 0.84 for the control and 0.96 to 0.98 for the keratoconus group. No systematic proportional bias was detected by the BAPs. There were minimal differences between the 2 observer's measurements, with a mean of the difference of 0.3 mm2, 0 mm, and 0 mm, for the 3 measurements, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that ImageJ software is a repeatable and reliable tool in the analysis of corneal parameters from AS-OCT images among patients with keratoconus and may be applicable to AS-OCT imaging protocol development, an area of active keratoconus research.

Agreement Between Angle-to-Angle Distance and Aqueous Depth Obtained With Two Different Optical Coherence Tomographers and a Scheimpflug Camera

PURPOSE

To compare angle-to-angle (ATA) distance and aqueous depth (AQD) readings produced by two different optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices and a Scheimpflug camera.

METHODS

ATA distance and AQD were measured in 60 eyes using the Visante time-domain OCT (TD-OCT) (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG), the Anterion swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) (Heidelberg Engineering GmbH), and the Pentacam HR Scheimpflug camera (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH). Moreover, ATA distance was measured along the horizontal and vertical meridians. Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the agreement between devices.

RESULTS

All three devices did not yield similar horizontal ATA distance: 11.96 ± 0.47 mm (TD-OCT), 11.96 ± 0.42 mm (SS-OCT), and 11.05 ± 0.52 mm (Pentacam). More specifically, the Pentacam yielded significantly smaller values (approximately 0.9 mm, P < .001). Mean vertical ATA distance was 12.61 ± 0.65 and 12 ± 0.65 mm for the TD-OCT and SS-OCT, respectively (P = .983). Vertical ATA distance was significantly larger than horizontal ATA distance for both OCT devices (approximately 0.6 mm, P < .001). The lowest mean difference was found between both OCT devices (0.0068 and -0.0415 mm, for horizontal and vertical meridians, respectively) and the highest between the Pentacam and the two OCT devices (approximately 0.9 mm). As for AQD, inter-device mean values were also statistically significant: 2.89 ± 0.48, 2.82 ± 0.49, and 2.79 ± 0.50 mm, for the TD-OCT, SS-OCT, and Pentacam, respectively (P < .001). Mean differences were similar for the TD-OCT versus SS-OCT and SS-OCT versus Pentacam (approximately 0.02 mm), and larger between the TD-OCT and Pentacam (approximately 0.05 mm).

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that the TD-OCT and SS-OCT are interchangeable instruments for ATA distance measurement but the Pentacam is not with either of the two OCT devices. A clinical criterion should assess whether these three devices could be used interchangeably for AQD measurement. [J Refract Surg. 2021;37(2):133-140.].

Comparison of Different Types of Corneal Foreign Bodies Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography: A Prospective Observational Study

PURPOSE

The present study highlighted the value of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) for different types of corneal foreign bodies in humans.

METHODS

This study was a prospective observational study. The patients included were divided into two groups. If the patients were directly diagnosed based on eye injury history and slit-lamp examination, then they were assigned to Group A. Otherwise, the patients were assigned to Group B. We compared and described the characteristics of the corneal foreign body in both groups using AS-OCT.

RESULTS

From October 2017 to January 2020, 36 eyes of 36 patients (9 females and 27 males) with a mean age of 37.8 ± 11.7 years were included in the study. Patients in Group A were the majority and accounted for 72.2% (26/36). High signals on AS-OCT images were the main constituent and accounted for 92.3% (24/26) in Group A and 70.0% (7/10) in Group B. Most of the patients in Group A, 96.2% (25/26), had clear boundaries. A blurred boundary was observed in 70.0% (7/10) of the patients in Group B. The foreign bodies on AS-OCT images had key characteristics of a high signal followed by a central zone shadowing effect and a low signal followed by a marginal zone shadowing effect. Further, all of the lesions could be directly located in Group B, and 92.3% (24/26) of the patients in Group A did not have directly located lesions. Six representative cases are described in detail.

CONCLUSIONS

AS-OCT is a valuable tool in the diagnosis and management of corneal foreign bodies, especially for unusual corneal foreign body.

Agreement and Repeatability of Two Biometers to Measure Anterior Segment Components: Refractive Error Effect

BACKGROUND To assess the repeatability and agreement between a new high-resolution optical coherence tomographer (OCT) and a Scheimpflug topographer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty phakic and healthy participants were measured in this study, and one eye per participant was analyzed. Depending on their refractive error, each participant was allocated into a myopic, hyperopic, or emmetropic group. The Cirrus HD-OCT 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany), and the Sirius Scheimpflug topographer (Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Florence, Italy) were used to take all measurements. RESULTS The repeatability of these instruments to measure the anterior chamber depth, angle-to-angle, thinnest pachymetry, and both nasal and temporal angles was smaller than 0.15 mm, 0.40 mm, 10 µm, and 10 degrees, respectively. However, the repeatability of the Scheimpflug instrument to measure the apex pachymetry was about 15 µm, and for the OCT, it was about 4 µm for all groups. On average, the Sirius Scheimpflug instrument measured shallower anterior chamber depth (about 0.10 mm), shorter angle-to-angle (about 0.5 mm), thinner corneas (approximately 10 µm), and narrower angles (around 5 degrees) for all refractive groups. CONCLUSIONS The repeatability of the Cirrus OCT and Sirius Scheimpflug instrument was good and independent of the refractive error. Nevertheless, to judge whether these instruments could be used interchangeable, clinical criteria are needed.