Artikel
The potential and limits of optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis of macular diseaes
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Gliederung
Text
Objective
In modern Ophthalmology high resolution imaging of the ocular tissues is increasingly important. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has dramatically improved the diagnosis of macular disorders.
Methods
The technique is able to image retinal structures at a high resolution of 8μm obtaining a two-dimensional scanned image of optical reflectivity.
Results
OCT is useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of macular diseases like macular holes, epiretinal membranes, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal or retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) detachments. The limitations are especially diseases in which one needs to differentiate between the different retinal layers, vitreal structures and the choroid. The resolution has already improved with new clinically used devices, but an ultrahigh resolution of 3μm, as used currently for research studies only, allows the identification of all intermediate layers of the retina and the differentiation of RPE, the choriocapillaris and the choroid.
Conclusions
OCT is an important tool in the early and more accurate diagnosis and the monitoring of macular diseases. The clinically used devices do not yet allow to differentiate between changes of intermediate retinal layers or different choroidal dieseases.
