Article
Reproducibility of measuring the thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer with optical coherence tomography and retinal thickness analyzer
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Published: | September 22, 2004 |
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Outline
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Objective
The measurement of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness can make a contribution for example in the early diagnosis of glaucoma. Object of the present study was to compare the intra- and interexaminer reproducibility of the measurements with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and retinal thickness analyzer (RTA).
Methods
There were enrolled 22 eyes of 22 patients. Successively the 2 examiners (EMH, RK) performed three measurements of the peripapillary RNFL with RTA and OCT. Evaluated was the coefficient of correlation (Spearman) of the single measurements of one examiner (intraexaminer) and also between both examiners (interexaminer).
Results
The measurements with RTA proved to be moderately or well reproducible with coefficients of correlation between 0,59 to 0,76 (EMH) and 0,55 to 0,79 (RK). Generally indicating a smaller range the measurements of the OCT showed better intraexaminer reproducibility with coefficients of correlation between 0,82 and 0,91 (EMH) and 0,88 up to 0,91 (RK). Also the reproducibility of the measurements done with OCT between different examiners were superior to RTA (coefficient of correlation 0,91 against 0,84).
Conclusions
Both with RTA and OCT you can measure peripapillary RNFL thickness reproducibly. Showing a smaller range of the measurements the OCT is superior to the RTA in this point.