Hybrid OCT-OCTA Vessel Visualization for Projection-Free Display of the Intermediate and Deep Retinal Plexuses

Ploner S, Moult EM, Schottenhamml J, Husvogt L, Lu CD, Rebhun CB, Alibhai AY, Duker JS, Waheed NK, Maier A, Fujimoto JG (2017)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Conference contribution, Abstract of a poster

Publication year: 2017

Book Volume: 58

Pages Range: 638

Edition: 8

Conference Proceedings Title: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science

Event location: Baltimore, MD, USA US

URI: https://www5.informatik.uni-erlangen.de/Forschung/Publikationen/2017/Ploner17-HOV.pdf

Abstract

Purpose : In optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), projection artifacts (also shadowing artifacts or decorrelation tails) cause superficial retinal vasculature to appear in the segmented OCTA images of the intermediate and deep retinal plexuses. The projections of these larger superficial vessels obfuscate the unique vascular patterning of the deeper layers. Several algorithms have been proposed to remove these shadows. However, by removing the projected vessels these approaches also decrease the contrast of, or fully eliminate, the underlying vasculature, thereby introducing discontinuities. Thus, in effect, one artifact is replaced with another. The purpose of this study is to develop a projection artifact removal scheme that overcomes this limitation and fully preserves the intermediate/deep retinal vasculature.

Methods : Amplitude decorrelation based OCTA data was collected using a 1050nm swept source OCT system. A hybrid OCT-OCTA vessel visualization scheme (described in Figure 1) was developed. The key advantage of our proposed scheme is that the OCT signal is used to adaptively remove the OCTA signal only in the intercapillary regions.

Results : The hybrid OCT-OCTA approach reduces projection artifacts to a negligible level in the intermediate and deep plexuses without introducing vessel discontinuity artifacts (Figure 2).

Conclusions : Hybrid OCT-OCTA vessel visualization is a promising approach to visualize the unique patterning of the intermediate and deep plexuses, and is likely to be particularly important in diseases such as diabetic retinopathy where it is desirable to separately analyze the retinal plexuses.

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How to cite

APA:

Ploner, S., Moult, E.M., Schottenhamml, J., Husvogt, L., Lu, C.D., Rebhun, C.B.,... Fujimoto, J.G. (2017, June). Hybrid OCT-OCTA Vessel Visualization for Projection-Free Display of the Intermediate and Deep Retinal Plexuses. Poster presentation at ARVO Annual Meeting 2017, Baltimore, MD, USA, US.

MLA:

Ploner, Stefan, et al. "Hybrid OCT-OCTA Vessel Visualization for Projection-Free Display of the Intermediate and Deep Retinal Plexuses." Presented at ARVO Annual Meeting 2017, Baltimore, MD, USA 2017.

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