In Vivo Imaging and Morphometry of the Human Pre-Descemet's Layer and Endothelium With Ultrahigh-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography

作者：Bizheva Kostadinka^*; Haines Lacey; Mason Erik; MacLellan Benjamin; Tan Bingyao; Hileeto Denise; Sorbara Luigina

来源：Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2016, 57(6): 2782-2787.

DOI：10.1167/iovs.15-18936

• optical coherence tomography
• cornea
• Descemet's membrane
• endothelium
• pre-Descemet's layer
• Dua's layer

PURPOSE. To visualize in vivo and quantify the thickness of the posterior corneal layers: the acellular pre-Descemet's layer (PDL), Descemet's membrane (DM), and endothelium (END) in healthy subjects, using ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT).
METHODS. A research-grade, 800-nm UHR-OCT system with 0.95-mu m axial resolution in corneal tissue was used to image in vivo the posterior cornea in healthy subjects. The system offers approximately 98 dB sensitivity for 680 mu W optical power incident on the cornea and 34,000 A-scans/s image acquisition rate. This study comprised 20 healthy subjects, aged 20 to 60 years. The thickness of the PDL, DM, and END layers was measured both with a custom, automatic segmentation algorithm and manually.
RESULTS. The boundaries and structure of the posterior corneal layers were clearly visible in the UHR-OCT images. The average thickness was measured to be 6.6 +/- 1.4 mu m (PDL), 10.4 +/- 2.9 mu m (DM), and 4.8 +/- 0.4 mu m (END), which agrees well with published data from ex vivo studies. Both the END and DM thickness showed minor spatial variations, whereas the PDL showed up to 2x thickness change for different locations on the same cross-sectional corneal image or over the entire imaged region of the cornea.
CONCLUSIONS. Our data indicate that all three layers of the posterior cornea can be clearly visualized in vivo and their thicknesses measured precisely with UHR-OCT. Although the PDL thickness showed large spatial variations, the thickness of the DM and END layers was consistent over the entire imaged region of the cornea.

• 出版日期2016-5