Publication

Reproducibility of retinal thickness measurements in healthy subjects using spectralis optical coherence tomography

Journal Paper/Review - Nov 20, 2008

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Menke M, Dabov S, Knecht P, Sturm V. Reproducibility of retinal thickness measurements in healthy subjects using spectralis optical coherence tomography. Am J Ophthalmol 2008; 147:467-72.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Am J Ophthalmol 2008; 147
Publication Date
Nov 20, 2008
Issn Electronic
1879-1891
Pages
467-72
Brief description/objective

PURPOSE
To test the reproducibility of retinal thickness measurements in healthy volunteers of a new Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) device (Spectralis OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany).

DESIGN
Prospective, observational study.

METHODS
Forty-one eyes of 41 healthy subjects were included into the study. Intraobserver reproducibility was tested with 20 x 15 degree raster scans consisting of 37 high-resolution line scans that were repeated three times by one examiner (M.N.M.). Mean retinal thickness was calculated for nine areas corresponding to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) areas. Coefficients of variation (COV) were calculated.

RESULTS
Retinal thickness measurements were highly reproducible for all ETDRS areas. Mean total retinal thickness was 342 +/- 15 microm. Mean foveal thickness was 286 +/- 17 microm. COVs ranged from 0.38% to 0.86%. Lowest COV was found for the temporal outer ETDRS area (area 7; COV, 0.38%). Highest COV was found for the temporal inner ETDRS area (area 3; COV, 0.86%). Mean difference between measurement 1 and 2, measurement 1 and 3, and measurement 2 and 3 for all ETDRS areas was 1.01 microm, 0.98 microm, and 0.99 microm, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Spectralis OCT retinal thickness measurements in healthy volunteers showed excellent intraobserver reproducibility with virtually identical results between retinal thickness measurements performed by one operator.