VOLUME-RENDERED ANGIOGRAPHIC AND STRUCTURAL OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate combined and integrated volume rendering of the retinal vasculature and selected structural abnormalities information derived from optical coherence tomography.
METHODS: The eyes were scanned using optical coherence tomography using split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation techniques to derive flow information. Various sublayers could be color coded as needed. The corresponding structural optical coherence tomography information was segmented for salient anatomic structures of interest, such as areas of edema fluid or intraretinal lipid deposits. The angiographic and structural data were integrated on a plane-by-plane basis and used to create volume-rendered images. The combined volume-rendered angiographic and structural optical coherence tomography data could be rotated about three different axes for evaluation.
RESULTS: Representative images from the eyes with diabetic macular edema, Type 1 macular telangiectasis, choroidal neovascularization, and retinal veno-occlusive disease are shown. The interrelationships between areas of cystoid fluid accumulation or intraretinal lipid accumulation could be visualized.
CONCLUSION: Although structural and angiographic findings are typically shown in isolation, they can be integrated into a merged data set that is amenable to volume rendering. Using this new technique will allow investigation into the interrelationships between vascular and structural abnormalities of the retina and choroid.