Radial versus raster spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scan patterns for detection of macular pathology

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the 6-line radial vs the 25-line raster spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) acquisition patterns at detecting intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, vitreomacular traction, and full-thickness macular hole (MH).

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis.

Methods: Series of 365 eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), central and branch retinal vein occlusion (CRVO/BRVO), central serous chorioretinopathy, vitreomacular traction, and full-thickness MH. Sequential 6-line radial and 25-line raster scans were evaluated for intraretinal/subretinal fluid and, when applicable, vitreomacular traction and MH.

Results: For neovascular AMD (133 scans), 7 25-line raster scans confirmed subretinal/intraretinal fluid not identified by the 6-line radial (P=.02). For DME (140 scans) and central serous chorioretinopathy (91 scans), 25-line raster confirmed fluid in 4 scans (P=.13) and 1 scan (P=.32), respectively, that was not observed with the 6-line radial. For CRVO (123 scans) and BRVO (126 scans), 25-line raster confirmed fluid on 2 (P=.25) and 4 scans (P=.13), respectively, that was not detected by the 6-line radial. Conversely, for focal vitreomacular traction (70 scans) and full-thickness MH (82 scans), 25-line raster missed focal traction (<1500 μm) and MH in 5 scans (P=.07) and 7 scans (P=.02), respectively, that were identified using the 6-line radial.

Conclusions: The 6-line radial scan is statistically comparable to the 25-line raster at detecting fluid in DME, BRVO/CRVO, and central serous chorioretinopathy, but not neovascular AMD. Furthermore, it is superior to the 25-line raster pattern at detecting early MH formation, while demonstrating a positive trend in identifying focal vitreomacular traction.