Noninvasive detection of microaneurysms in diabetic retinopathy by swept-source optical coherence tomography

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A method of identifying retinal vascular microaneurysms (MAs) in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: SS-OCT images were acquired in 17 eyes with NPDR using prototype SS-OCT device and fluorescein angiography (FA) images were obtained simultaneously. MAs identified on SS-OCT slabs were correlated to MAs identified on FA. RESULTS: MAs were identified in SS-OCT slabs in 15/17 eyes, resulting in NPDR diagnosis rate of 88%. Mean number of MAs identified on FA was 11.7±11.9 (total 199) and was 8.1±9.3 (total 137) on SS-OCT. Wilcoxon rank sum test showed no significant difference in MAs detected on SS-OCT and FA (P=0.2995) across eyes. Wilcoxon rank sum test showed SS-OCT detected slightly fewer MAs than FA per eye (3.65 less, P=0.0009). CONCLUSION: SS-OCT visualization of MAs could serve as a tool for diagnosing NPDR, and possibly applied as an imaging biomarker for population-based diabetic retinopathy screening.