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Complete misalignments possible in OCT scans of retinal nerve fiber layer
J Glaucoma. 2011;20(9):559-565
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In about 30% of cases, complete misalignments may be present in the first or second optical coherence tomography scans of the retinal nerve fiber layer, according to a study. These misalignments may be linked to the age of the patients.
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of misalignments in scans of the retinal nerve fiber layer using spectral-domain OCT.
In the study, 138 eyes had glaucoma and 162 eyes were normal.
Misalignments were classified as limited if they affected only part of the scan line and complete if they were observed in the entire scan line.
To compare the retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses in the scans with and without complete misalignments, the researchers further analyzed 153 cases with repeated scans.
The researchers identified 299 limited misalignments in 140 eyes and 151 complete misalignments in 91 eyes. The increase in frequency and number of complete misalignments was more common in subjects who were older.
Complete misalignments were more common in horizontal meridians and quadrants at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions.
"No differences in RNFL thickness were found between scans with and without [complete misalignments] in the same patients," the researchers said. "Scans with [complete misalignments] in the measurement ring can be considered in the RNFL evaluation."