Interobserver reproducibility and interocular symmetry of the macular ganglion cell complex: assessment in healthy children using optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Background: Assessment of interobserver reproducibility and interocular symmetry using optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based measurements of the macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) in healthy children facilitates interpretation of OCT data. We assessed the interobserver reproducibility and interocular symmetry of GCC and evaluated candidate determinants. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in a primary and tertiary health-care setting. A total of 126 healthy participants aged 5 to 18 years were eligible. GCC scans were performed by 4 operators using the Topcon 3D OCT-2000 device. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to estimate reproducibility and symmetry. Cutoff points for symmetry were defined as the 95th percentile of the absolute interocular difference for 6 GCC parameters. Percentile distributions of interocular difference were generated based on age and difference in absolute interocular spherical equivalent (SE). Results: The reproducibility ICC ranged from 0.96 to 0.98 for all 6 GCC parameters. Cutoff points for interocular symmetry of the superior and inferior quadrants and total macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (mRNFL) and macular ganglion cell layerinner plexiform layer thickness were 3.5, 4.5, 3.0, 3.0, 2.5, and 2.5 μm respectively. A positive association was observed between the absolute interocular difference of SE and superior and total mRNFL symmetry values (p = 0.047 and p = 0.040, respectively). Conclusions: OCT measurements of GCC in healthy children show excellent reproducibility. Interocular differences in SE should be assessed when mRNFL differences exceed the 95% cutoff. These findings can contribute to establish reference values for interocular symmetry in paediatric GCC parameters.

Normative data and repeatability for macular ganglion cell layer thickness in healthy Swedish children using swept source optical coherence tomography

“…In the present study almost, all children were able to perform at least two and often three macula OCTmeasurements and the repeatability between the different measurements were particularly good. Similar results were presented by Muñoz-Gallego et al however using spectral domain OCT [20]. This indicates that OCT measurements of GCL in the macula is a reliable method and well tolerated in children.…”

Repeatability of Peripapillary OCT Angiography in Neurodegenerative Disease

“…Previous studies have described varying correlation of ocular parameters measured between two eyes of cognitively normal adults ranging from moderate to high correlation in retinal thickness, 18 foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, superficial vessel density, 19 ganglion cell complex measures, 20 capillary plexus measures, 21 and fractal dimension. 17 Our prior work assessing interocular symmetry of peripapillary OCTA measures found significant asymmetry in temporal capillary flux index between the eyes of cognitively normal older adults; however, other parameters were similar between eyes of the same patient.…”