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. 2024 Nov 4;13(11):8.
doi: 10.1167/tvst.13.11.8.

Factors Associated With Ocular Perfusion Measurements as Obtained With Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging

Jacqueline Fröhlich  1 , Marco Cattaneo  2   3 , Philippe Valmaggia  2 , Peter M Maloca  1   2 , Konstantin Gugleta  1 , Leopold Schmetterer  2   4   5   6   7   8   9 , Hendrik P N Scholl  1 , Giacomo Calzetti  1   2   10
Affiliations

Factors Associated With Ocular Perfusion Measurements as Obtained With Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging

Jacqueline Fröhlich et al. Transl Vis Sci Technol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To study the ocular and systemic factors affecting optic nerve head (ONH) perfusion data as obtained using a commercially available laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) device in a cohort of Caucasian subjects without ocular diseases. Also, to assess the intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility of ONH, macular, retinal, and choroidal perfusion.

Methods: Seventy-five healthy eyes of 75 Caucasian participants underwent LSFG and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) on the same visit. Perfusion of the ONH was assessed with LSFG, and SD-OCT was used to measure peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and macular ganglion cell plus inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT). The intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility of ONH and macular perfusion and retinal and choroidal relative flow volume (RFV) were evaluated in 20 participants measured on three different days over a 6-month period.

Results: Intrasession and intersession intraclass correlation coefficients of LSFG parameters ranged from 0.787 to 0.967 and from 0.776 to 0.935, respectively. Intersession 95% prediction intervals for the ratio of two measurements were wider for RFV indices than for ONH and macular perfusion parameters. The multiple regression analysis indicated that higher ONH perfusion was associated with younger age, female sex, smaller optic disc area, and higher RNFLT. RNFLT was an independent predictor of ONH perfusion, whereas GCIPLT was not. Each 1-µm increase in RNFLT was associated with a 0.272 arbitrary unit increase in ONH perfusion.

Conclusions: LSFG measurements of optic disc perfusion are influenced by sex, age, and anatomical variations in optic disc area and RNFLT.

Translational relevance: Better evaluation of ocular blood flow will result in better diagnosis and treatment of various ocular diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: J. Fröhlich, None; M. Cattaneo, None; P. Valmaggia, None; P.M. Maloca, None; K. Gugleta, None; L. Schmetterer, None; H.P.N. Scholl, None; G. Calzetti, None

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
LSFG analysis. The LSFG perfusion map is superimposed on the color fundus photograph, with the optic disc region marked by the white elliptical ROI. The marked vessel segment regions show the retinal venular segment (blue ROI), the retinal arteriolar segment (red ROI), and the choroidal vessel segment (yellow ROI). The large white rectangle represents the ROI used for measuring macular perfusion.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
LSFG intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility. Dots indicate ICCs, and the whiskers span the 95% CIs for intrasession (within visit) repeatability and intersession (within 6 months) reproducibility.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Multiple linear regression analysis. Dots indicate standardized partial regression coefficients, and the whiskers span the 95% CI for each predictor.
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