Analysis of Choroidal Thickness and Vascular Density Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography after Laser Photocoagulation

Dong Hun Song; Jung Min Park

doi:10.3341/jkos.2019.60.11.1050

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Song and Park: Analysis of Choroidal Thickness and Vascular Density Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography after Laser Photocoagulation

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2019; 60(11): 1050-1057.

Published online: 19 November 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2019.60.11.1050

Analysis of Choroidal Thickness and Vascular Density Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography after Laser Photocoagulation

Dong Hun Song, MD, Jung Min Park, MD, PhD

Department of Ophthalmology, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Jung Min Park, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, Maryknoll Medical Center, #121 Junggu-ro, Jung-gu, Busan 48972, Korea. Tel: 82-51-461-2540, Fax: 82-51-462-3534, pjm1438@hanmail.net

Received 20 June 2019 Revised 19 July 2019 Accepted 24 October 2019

The Korean Ophthalmological Society

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the changes in choroidal thickness and superficial vascular density of the macula and optic disc using optical coherence tomography angiography after laser photocoagulation.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 25 eyes of diabetic retinopathy patients who underwent panretinal photocoagulation. The macula and optic disc were divided into nine areas, and the vascular density of each area was quantitatively measured using optical coherence tomography angiography. The changes in vascular density and choroidal thickness were analyzed before laser photocoagulation and at 1 week after, 1 month after, and 3 months after treatment.

Results

In the panretinal photocoagulation group, the average vascular densities of the macula were 13.5 ± 3.6 mm⁻¹ before treatment, and 14.7 ± 3.1 mm⁻¹ after 1 week, 13.7 ± 2.6 mm⁻¹ after 1 month, and 12.8 ± 3.8 mm⁻¹ after 3 months of treatment. The average vascular densities of the optic disc were 14.7 ± 5.2 mm⁻¹ before treatment, and 14.1 ± 4.7 mm⁻¹ after 1 week, 14.8 ± 5.3 mm⁻¹ after 1 month, and 15.0 ± 4.7 mm⁻¹ after 3 months of treatment. The average subfoveal choroidal thicknesses were 327.5 ± 57.9 µm before treatment, and 334.4 ± 52.5 µm after 1 week, 291.2 ± 52.9 µm after 1 month, and 286.3 ± 44.4 µm after 3 months of treatment.

Conclusions

The vascular density of the macula increased temporarily after 1 week of treatment but decreased afterwards. The vascular density of the optic disc decreased after 1 week of laser treatment but increased over time. The subfoveal choroidal thickness increased after 1 week of laser treatment but decreased afterwards.

Keywords: Optical coherence tomography angiography, Panretinal photocoagulation, Vascular density

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid subfield was applied to macular (A) and papillary area (B). ‘1’ means center. ‘2’ means nasal inner. ‘3’ means superior inner. ‘4’ means temporal inner. ‘5’ means inferior inner. ‘6’ means nasal outer. ‘7’ means superior outer. ‘8’ means temporal outer. ‘9’ means inferior outer. OD = oculus dexter; OS = oculus sinister.

Figure 2

A case of panretinal photocoagulation in 71-year-old male. The superficial vascular density of macular area generally increased after 1 week but decreased afterwards.

Figure 3

A case of panretinal photocoagulation in 69-year-old-male. The superficial vascular density of papillary area generally decreased after 1 week but increased afterwards.

Figure 4

The calculated longitudinal changes of the average superficial vessel density of macular before and after panretinal photocoagulation. The vessel density of macular increased temporarily after 1 week but decreased afterwards.

Figure 5

The calculated longitudinal changes of the average superficial vessel density of optic disc before and after panretinal photocoagulation. The vessel density of optic disc decreased after 1 week laser treatment, but increased over the time.

Table 1

Demographic characteristics and clinical features of the patients

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation or number unless otherwise indicated.

PRP = panretinal photocoagulation; M:F = male:female; OD = ocular dexter; OS = ocular sinister; PDR = proliferative diabetic retinopathy; NPDR = non proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Table 2

Comparision of the average vessel density in before and after laser photocoagulation

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation.

PRP = panretinal photocoagulation; C = center; SI = superior inner; NI = nasal inner; II = inferior inner; TI = temporal inner; SO = superior outer; NO = nasal outer; IO = inferior outer; TO = temporal outer.

^*Friedman test.

Table 3

Comparision of the average SFCT in before and after PRP

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation.

SFCT = subfoveal choroidal thickness; PRP = panretinal photocoagulation.

^*Friedman test.

Notes

^{Conflicts of Interest} The authors have no conflicts to disclose.

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