Journal List > J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > v.57(9) > 1010394

Wi and Yoo: Frequency and Causes of Segmentation Errors in Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging in Glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the frequency and potential causes of segmentation errors in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scans.

Methods

Segmentation errors for the RNFL thickness analysis were recorded during a retrospective chart review of 214 eye scans from 132 consecutive patients with glaucoma or glaucoma suspect who underwent a complete eye exam using Spectralis™ OCT scanning from August 2014 to November 2014. Segmentation errors were classified as inner, outer, inner and outer segmentation errors, and degraded images. The risk factors including age, sex, intraocular pressure, spherical equivalents, severity of glaucoma, and associated ocular disorders were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 71 eye scans included segmentation errors. Risk factors of inner segmentation error (8.9%) were age, epiretinal membrane, and degenerative myopia. Risk factors of outer segmentation error (29.9%) were age, peripapillary atrophy, posterior vitreous detachment, and severity of glaucoma. Risk factors of inner and outer segmentation errors (6.1%) were age and degenerative myopia. The single risk factor of degraded image (2.3%) was degenerative myopia.

Conclusions

Segmentation errors for SD-OCT RNFL scans in glaucoma patients are common. Clinicians should carefully review the scans for segmentation errors when using SD-OCT images in glaucoma diagnosis or during patient follow-up.

References

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Figure 1.
Optical coherence tomography. (A) Normalperipapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) profile automatically segmented in Spectralis optical coherence tomography. Inner line indicated as internal limiting membrane are located between vitreous and RNFL. Outer line indicated as RNFL are located between RNFL and ganglion cell layer. (B) Unsegmentednormal peripapillary RNFL thickness profile.
jkos-57-1407f1.tif
Figure 2.
Examples of 4 segmentation error types in Spectralis™ imaging for retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. (A) Inner segmentation error associated with epiretinal membrane (arrow). (B) Outer segmentation error associated with large peripapillary atrophy (arrows). (C) Inner and outer segmentation error associated with epiretinal membrane and macular edema (arrows). (D) Degraded image (QS = 9) and outer segmentation error associated with degenerative myopia (arrow).
jkos-57-1407f2.tif
Table 1.
Baseline demographics and descriptive data
Parameters Values
Age (years)  
 Mean ± SD 59.6 ± 15.2
 Range 18–96
Sex (n, %)  
 Male 55 (41.7)
 Female 77 (58.3)
BCVA (log MAR) 0.11 ± 0.37
IOP (mm Hg) 12.6 ± 3.2
SE (diopters) −1.04 ± 2.98

Values are presented as mean ± SD unless otherwise indicated.

SD = standard deviation; BCVA = best corrected visual acuity

IOP = intraocular pressure, SE = spherical equivalent.

Table 2.
Prevalence of the 4 types of segmentation errors
  Numbers of scans (n) Percentage of scans (%)
Inner segmentation error 19 8.9
Outer segmentation error 64 29.9
Inner and outer segmentation error 13 6.1
Degraded image 5 2.3
Table 3.
Univariate and multivariate analysis for risk factors for inner segmentation errors
  Univariate
Multivariate
OR (95% CI) p-value OR (95% CI) p-value
Age (years) 1.08 (1.03–1.14) 0.001 1.08 (1.03–1.15) 0.005
Sex
 Male 1.22 (0.45–3.30) 0.694
PPA
 In 4.33 (0.55–34.04) 0.163 2.17 0.482
 Out 10.62 (1.02–110.80) 0.048 1.47 0.811
PVD 1.59 (0.49–5.18) 0.444
ERM 20.95 (5.52–79.46) <0.001 15.72 (3.66–67.51) <0.001
Degenerative myopia 8.23 (1.78–38.03) 0.007 12.64 (1.12–142.75) 0.040
Refractive errors
 Worse than −6.0 SE 0.75 (0.09–6.08) 0.791

OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; PPA = peripapillary atrophy; PVD = posterior vitreous detachment; ERM = epiretinal membrane; SE = spherical equivalent.

Table 4.
Univariate and multivariate analysis for risk factors for outer segmentation errors
  Univariate
Multivariate
OR (95% CI) p-value OR (95% CI) p-value
Age (year) 1.06 (1.03–1.09) <0.001 1.05 (1.02–1.09) 0.006
Sex
 Male 1.05 (0.57–1.91) 0.881
PPA
 In 1.92 (0.80–4.65) 0.147 1.40 (0.16–4.26) 0.552
 Out 85.71 (9.71–756.51) <0.001 199.88 (14.12–2,828.49) <0.001
PVD 4.31 (2.05–9.09) <0.001 9.54 (3.64–25.03) <0.001
ERM 1.50 (0.42–5.32) 0.530
Severity
 Mild 6.86 (0.89–52.89) 0.065 10.07 (0.80–127.43) 0.075
 Moderate 14.47 (1.71–122.07) 0.014 38.63 (2.66–560.06) 0.007
 Advanced 62.50 (7.21–542.17) <0.001 78.36 (5.23–1,175.27) 0.002
Refractive errors
 Worse than −6.0 SE 0.84 (0.26–2.71) 0.770

OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; PPA = peripapillary atrophy; PVD = posterior vitreous detachment; ERM = epiretinal membrane; SE = spherical equivalent.

Table 5.
Univariate and multivariate analysis for risk factors for inner and outer segmentation errors
  Univariate
Multivariate
OR (95% CI) p-value OR (95% CI) p-value
Age (years) 1.09 (1.03–1.15) 0.003 1.09 (1.03–1.16) 0.005
Sex
 Male 1.17 (0.38–3.60) 0.795
PPA
 In 2.92 (0.36–23.63) 0.316 1.46 (0.17–12.80) 0.732
 Out 10.61 (1.02–110.80) 0.048 1.18 (0.05–27.12) 0.919
PVD 2.35 (0.68–8.09) 0.176
ERM 7.24 (1.66–31.52) 0.008 4.69 (0.95–23.07) 0.057
Degenerative myopia 11.76 (2.46–56.30) 0.002 17.09 (1.44–202.48) 0.024
Refractive errors
 Worse than −6.0 SE 1.03 (0.13–8.45) 0.982

OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; PPA = peripapillary atrophy; PVD = posterior vitreous detachment; ERM = epiretinal membrane; SE = spherical equivalent.

Table 6.
Univariate and multivariate analysis for risk factors for degraded images
  Univariate
Multivariate
OR (95% CI) p-value OR (95% CI) p-value
Age (years) 1.01 (0.95–1.07) 0.763
Sex
 Male 0.33 (0.04–3.01) 0.326
PPA
 In 0.31 (0.02–5.00) 0.407 0.23 (0.01–4.19) 0.324
 Out 10.62 (1.02–110.80) 0.048 1.25 (0.03–47.33) 0.904
ERM 4.98 (0.51–48.71) 0.168
Degenerative myopia 61.20 (8.31–450.89) <0.001 30.79 (1.36–697.21) 0.031

OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; PPA = peripapillary atrophy; ERM = epiretinal membrane.

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