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Review
. 2020 Dec 31:2020:6655021.
doi: 10.1155/2020/6655021. eCollection 2020.

Optical Coherence Tomography (Angiography) Biomarkers in the Assessment and Monitoring of Diabetic Macular Edema

Corina-Iuliana Suciu  1 , Vlad-Ioan Suciu  2 , Simona-Delia Nicoara  1   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Optical Coherence Tomography (Angiography) Biomarkers in the Assessment and Monitoring of Diabetic Macular Edema

Corina-Iuliana Suciu et al. J Diabetes Res. .

Abstract

Retinopathy is one of the most severe diabetes-related complications, and macular edema is the major cause of central vision loss in patients with diabetes mellitus. Significant progress has been made in recent years in optical coherence tomography and angiography technology. At the same time, various parameters have been attributed the role of biomarkers creating the frame for new monitoring and treatment strategies and offering new insights into the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. In this review, we gathered the results of studies that investigated various specific OCT (angiography) parameters in diabetic macular edema, such as central subfoveal thickness (CST), cube average thickness (CAT), cube volume (CV), choroidal thickness (CT), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), retinal thickness at the fovea (RTF), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), central macular thickness (CMT), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), total macular volume (TMV), central choroid thickness (CCT), photoreceptor outer segment (PROS), perfused capillary density (PCD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), subfoveal neuroretinal detachment (SND), hyperreflective foci (HF), disorganization of the inner retinal layers (DRIL), ellipsoid zone (EZ), inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junctions, vascular density (VD), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and superficial capillary plexus (SCP), in order to provide a synthesis of biomarkers that are currently used for the early diagnosis, assessment, monitoring, and outlining of prognosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Macular OCT image revealing SND and HF.
Figure 2
Figure 2
OCT aspects of the intraretinal cystoid spaces: (a) original OCT image; (b, c) highlighted lesions of the same image.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Highlighted OCT image revealing the small HF.
Figure 4
Figure 4
OCT aspect of macular DRIL. (a) Disorganization of the inner retinal layers (DRIL). (b) Normal macular segmentation. (c) Magnified segment of the first image (a); global disruption of the ellipsoid zone and RNFL. ILM: internal limiting membrane; RNFL: retinal nerve fiber; GCL: ganglion cell layer; IPL: inner plexiform layer; INL: inner nuclear layer; OPL: outer plexiform layer; ONL: outer nuclear layer; ELM: external limiting membrane; PR/EZ: photoreceptor layer/ellipsoid zone (inner and outer photoreceptor segment junction); RPE: retinal pigment epithelium.
Figure 5
Figure 5
OCT aspects of the vitreomacular interface showing taut posterior hyaloid membrane with subsequent macular distortion.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Highlighted OCT image showing HF, hard exudates, and the disruption of IS/OS photoreceptor segments (EZ).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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