Comparison of intensity, phase retardation, and local birefringence images for filtering blebs using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) allows the recording of depth-resolved polarimetric measurements. It has been reported that phase retardation and local birefringence images can noninvasively detect fibrotic area in blebs after glaucoma surgery. Evaluation of scar fibrosis in blebs is important not only for predicting bleb function, but also for planning revision trabeculectomy. Herein, we characterize the intensity, phase retardation, and local birefringence images of blebs using PS-OCT. A total of 85 blebs from 85 patients who had undergone trabeculectomy were examined. Both phase retardation and local birefringence images detected fibrotic changes in blebs after glaucoma surgery. Phase retardation images detected slight fibrotic change during the early stage after surgery, whereas local birefringence images showed localized fibrotic tissue. There are two main patterns of local birefringence image changes in blebs: plate-like birefringence changes and diffuse changes. The area of plate-like birefringence change was significantly larger in poorly functioning blebs and is thus correlated with bleb function. These data suggest that the plate-like fibrotic change evaluation by PS-OCT may be useful not only for noninvasive evaluation of fibrotic scar tissue in blebs, but also for developing strategies for revision trabeculectomy.

Label-free metabolic imaging of non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease (NAFLD) liver by volumetric dynamic optical coherence tomography

“…As mentioned in Section 2.2.1 , we employed a polarization-sensitive OCT device (JM-OCT) in this study, but we did not use its polarization-sensitive imaging function. Among the polarization-sensitive JM-OCT images, birefringence is known to be sensitive to fibrotic tissue [ 62 ]. Therefore, future studies with the polarization-sensitive function of JM-OCT might be helpful for understanding the fibrosis process and pathogenesis of NAFLD.…”

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging of the anterior mouse eye

“…9,22 As alterations in corneal microstructure can lead to changes of the birefringent characteristics, PS-OCT was also proposed for imaging such changes during corneal crosslinking therapy. 12,23 Following trabeculectomy-a surgical procedure for intraocular pressure (IOP) relieve in glaucoma patients-the evolution of filtering blebs was monitored by PS-OCT. 12,[24][25][26][27] Finally, PS-OCT was also used to investigate birefringence characteristics of the sclera. 13 For advancing our knowledge and understanding of eye development, its physiology in health and disease, and for the development of new therapeutics, rodent models have been playing an essential role.…”

Multi-Contrast Jones-Matrix Optical Coherence Tomography—The Concept, Principle, Implementation, and Applications

“…For the former, the polarization imaging of JM-OCT has been found to be useful in identifying the trabecular meshwork [106], [107]. For the latter, JM-OCT is used in investigating the fibrotic change in post-surgical structures of trabeculectomy [103], [108]- [112]. In a JM-OCT based trabeculectomy study, Fukuda et al pointed out that the phase retardation image can visualize slight fibrotic changes at early stage after the surgery, while the birefringence image can highlight localized fibrotic tissue [112].…”