J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2008 May;49(5):778-783. 10.3341/jkos.2008.49.5.778.

Artifacts in Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Analysis Using Optical Coherence Tomography

• Hwang YH
• Kang JH

• KMID: 2211708
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2008.49.5.778

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency and characteristics of artifacts which can cause errors in retinal nerve fiber layer nalysis using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
METHODS
The frequency, characteristics and retinal lesions responsible for the artifact were analyzed for 179 patients (338 eyes) by OCT. All images were categorized into two groups according to the presence of artifacts and then, the differences between the two groups were analyzed by t-test and cross-tabulation analysis in terms of age, refractive error, peripapillary atrophic areas, and type of glaucoma.
RESULTS
The male to female ratio was 1.37:1, average age was 47.6+/-15.7 years and average degree of refraction was -1.78+/-0.23 diopter. Artifacts were noted in 64 eyes (18.9%), and were present in the temporal quadrant in 12 eyes (18.8%), superior quadrant in 51 eyes (79.7%), nasal quadrant in 19 eyes (87.5%), and inferior quadrant in 8 eyes (48.4%). The average angle of the artifact was 138 degrees. Although retinal lesion, age, and glaucoma type were not significantly different between the two groups, peripapillary atrophy and myopia were significantly more common in the group with the artifact.
CONCLUSIONS
When analyzing retinal nerve fiber layer by OCT, artifacts should be considered, especially in cases of peripapillary atrophy and myopia.

Keyword

Artifact; Glaucoma; Optical coherence tomography; Retinal nerve fiber layer analysis

MeSH Terms

Artifacts
Atrophy
Eye
Female
Glaucoma
Humans
Male
Myopia
Nerve Fibers
Refractive Errors
Retinaldehyde
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Retinaldehyde

Figure

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  Figure 1. An example of artifact (area between two arrows) in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness analysis by optical coherence tomography. Fast RNFL thickness (3.4) scan mode (A) reveals generalized reduction of RNFL thickness for nearly 360 degree. However, RNFL thickness (2.27Xdisc) scan mode (B) shows incorrect nerve fiber layer detection in nasal quadrant expecially..

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  Figure 2. Visual field (A) and red-free retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) photogarphy (B) of the same patient in Figure 1. These results do not correlate with the RNFL defect area in artifact obtained by optical coherence tomography.

Reference

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