Normative Database of Peripapillary Vessel Density Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography and Correlation Study

Abstract

Purpose: To provide a normative data set of swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) peripapillary vessel density (VD) measurements and assess correlations with age, gender, disc area and axial length (AL). Material and Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted on 346 right eyes of healthy subjects. Peripapillary SS-OCTA VD measurements were obtained in the retinal superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) in all four quadrants using the Triton device (Topcon, Nagoya, Japan). AL measurements were made by optical biometry. Results: Mean participant age was 37.7 ± 19.8 years (range 5-83), AL was 23.9 ± 1.3 mm (21-27), and 59% were women. Mean VDs for all quadrants were 57.2 ± 5.7% for SCP (52.4 ± 4.0% -62.1 ± 4.2%), 46.3 ± 6.5% for DCP (41.9 ± 5.8% -49.7 ± 4.8%) and 60.8 ± 7.4% for CC (53.4 ± 5.8% -65.7 ± 5.5%). Negative correlation was detected between SCP VD and age (R = −0.264; P < .001), while correlation between DCP densities and age was positive (R = 0.202; P = .002). No associations were detected between peripapillary VD and gender (P ≥ 0.087) and negative correlation was found with AL and disc area only in the CC (P ≤ 0.004). In a subgroup analysis of 33 individuals, we noted no differences in VD between fellow eyes (P ≥ 0.139). Conclusion: Peripapillary VD showed wide individual variation when measured with the Triton SS-OCTA in the different retinal plexuses and CC. While correlations were observed with age, no relationships emerged with gender and only CC showed negative correlation with AL and disc area.

Quantitative assessment and determinants of the papillary microvasculature in healthy subjects

“…Further analysis showed that vertical peripapillary VD was significantly higher compared with the horizontal measurements [15]. In our study, a similar finding was observed that VD in the superior quadrant and inferior quadrant was significantly higher than the temporal and nasal quadrants.…”

“…In contrast, Mansoori et al found no association between sex and papillary VD in 52 healthy subjects using RTVue XR 100 Avanti OCT [26]. Another study also showed no association between sex and VD of the papillary area [15]. Consistent with those results, age and sex were not significantly associated with the optic disc's superficial VD in the present study.…”

“…However, there are scarce normative OCTA data from a healthy population, particularly concerning the optic disc's VD [14,15]. Additionally, there is little understanding of the determinants associated with papillary VD.…”

Peripapillary and parafoveal microvascular changes in eyes with optic neuritis and their fellow eyes measured by optical coherence tomography angiography: an Exploratory Study

“…The mean difference of vessel density in SRCP and RPC segments between the ON fellow eyes and healthy controls was 1.18% (95% CI, −2.30, −0.06) and 1.71% (95% CI, −3.00, −0.42). As the OCT‐A technique is relatively new, few large normative OCT‐A databases have been reported (Bazvand et al 2017; Rao et al 2017; Fernandez‐Vigo et al 2020). Among those studies, Fernandez‐Vigo et al (2020) reported a mean vessel density of superficial RPC segments of 57.2 ± 5.7 (SD) % in 346 healthy subjects using the Triton device (Topcon) that we also used.…”

Retinal blood flow in critical illness and systemic disease: a review

“…Finally, as OCTA is relatively new, normative data are developing [87][88][89], with some unknowns regarding the correlation between general parameters and vessel density [90]. There is systematic variation in FAZ area between devices (measuring higher with Heidelberg than Canon devices) but with a very high intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.96 [91], compared to an ICC for flow index of 0.62-0.67 [92] and vessel density of 0.74-0.81 [93].…”