RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the prevalence of the vascularized foveal zone, including macular-foveal capillaries (MFC) and congenital retinal macrovessels (CRM), and to analyze the structural characteristics of the macular area in patients with MFC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The first phase of the study evaluated the prevalence of MFC and CRM. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) was performed, and OCT-A images of the foveal avascular zone were analyzed. In the second phase, two groups were formed: the MFC group (12 eyes, 9 patients, mean age 43.8±10.7 years) and the control group (18 eyes, 17 patients, mean age 43.0±11.8 years). A comparative analysis was performed assessing central retinal thickness (CRT), thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), inner nuclear layer (INL), outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), and foveal pit depth. RESULTS: MFCs were detected in 45 eyes from a total sample of 1031 eyes of 536 patients. The presence of CRM was recorded in three eyes of three patients. RNFL thickness was significantly higher in the MFC group in the inferior parafoveal sector (26.50 [26.00; 29.50] and 24.50 [21.75; 26.50] µm; p=0.022) and in the foveal zone (15.50 [14.00; 16.00] and 12.00 [11.00; 14.00] µm; p=0.017). Additionally, patients with MFC had a higher thickness of GCL and IPL in the fovea, inferior, nasal, and temporal parafoveal sectors. The depth of the foveal pit was significantly lower in the MFC group compared to the control group (83.0 [77.4; 101.6] and 128.0 [107.5; 147.05] µm; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MFC was 4.36% (calculated per number of eyes), while the prevalence of CRM - 0.29%. The macular area in patients with MFC had increased thickness of the inner retinal layers and decreased depth of the foveal pit, suggesting potential disruption in the natural process of ganglion cell migration and apoptosis during embryogenesis.

Asunto(s)

Fóvea Central , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Fóvea Central/irrigación sanguínea , Fóvea Central/diagnóstico por imagen , Adulto , Femenino , Masculino , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Prevalencia , Persona de Mediana Edad , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología , Enfermedades de la Retina/epidemiología , Enfermedades de la Retina/diagnóstico , Enfermedades de la Retina/etiología , Federación de Rusia/epidemiología , Agudeza Visual , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos

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Purpose: To assess the correspondence between interdigitation zone (IZ) reflectivity, ellipsoid zone (EZ) loss, inner retinal layer reflectivity, patterns of capillary dilation, and telangiectasia in eyes with early macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel). Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight eyes of 22 patients with grade 0-2 MacTel (according to the MacTel project classification) and 28 healthy control eyes were included in this study. Multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography, adaptive optics flood illumination ophthalmoscopy (AO-FIO) and blue light reflectance (BLR), was performed. The EZ, IZ, and outer plexiform layer (OPL) were analyzed on the structural OCT C-scans. The vascular density (VD) was measured on the binarized and skeletonized angiograms of the superficial vascular plexus and deep capillary complex. The vascular diameter index (VDI) was calculated by dividing the binarized VD by the skeletonized VD. Results: On AO-FIO, cone density in the MacTel zone was significantly lower in MacTel eyes than in controls, even in areas located outside the EZ loss (P < 0.001). A distinctive pattern of IZ reflectivity attenuation extended beyond the area of EZ attenuation. The shape and size of a strong OPL hyper-reflectivity corresponded to the MacTel white area (MacTel zone) seen on BLR. Capillary dilation and rarefaction were colocalized with this area, extending beyond visible telangiectasia. The VDI was higher in MacTel eyes than in controls (P < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that in early MacTel eyes, photoreceptor signal alteration, OPL hyper-reflectivity, and capillary dilation, potentially associated with Müller cell dysfunction, precede the EZ loss.

Asunto(s)

Angiografía con Fluoresceína , Oftalmoscopía , Telangiectasia Retiniana , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Femenino , Telangiectasia Retiniana/diagnóstico , Telangiectasia Retiniana/fisiopatología , Telangiectasia Retiniana/diagnóstico por imagen , Masculino , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano , Agudeza Visual/fisiología , Fondo de Ojo , Imagen Multimodal , Adulto , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen

RESUMEN

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of axial elongation on ganglion cell complex thickness (GCCT) and retinal capillary density (CD) using wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving 506 eyes. Fovea-centered scans were obtained to assess the subregional GCCT and capillary density across the whole retina, the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP) among three groups: normal control, high myopia (HM) eyes with axial length < 28 mm, and HM eyes with axial length > 28 mm. Regional variations (central vs. peripheral, quadrants difference [superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal]) were analyzed. Results: In HM eyes with axial length > 28 mm, GCCT and retinal CD exhibit a general decline in most regions (P < 0.05). In HM eyes with axial length < 28 mm, significant reductions were observed specifically in peripheral regions, as in the GCCT beyond the 3 × 3 mm2 area and CD in the 9-12 mm whole retina, 9-12 mm superior SCP, and 6-12 mm DCP (P < 0.05). Maximum GCCT and retinal CD reduction with axial elongation was observed in subregions beyond 6 × 6  mm2. Conclusions: GCCT beyond the 3 × 3 mm2 area and peripheral retinal CD beyond the 6 × 6  mm2 area were more susceptible to axial elongation and are thereby deserving of particular attention. Translational Relevance: It is necessary to evaluate different regions during the clinical assessment of the effect of myopia on the fundus and pay close attention to the peripheral retina.

Asunto(s)

Células Ganglionares de la Retina , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Estudios Transversales , Estudios Retrospectivos , Masculino , Células Ganglionares de la Retina/patología , Femenino , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto , Miopía/patología , Miopía/diagnóstico por imagen , Miopía/fisiopatología , Microvasos/patología , Microvasos/diagnóstico por imagen , Longitud Axial del Ojo/patología , Longitud Axial del Ojo/diagnóstico por imagen , Fibras Nerviosas/patología , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Adulto Joven , Anciano , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen

RESUMEN

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease characterized by progressive alterations of different retinal structures ultimately leading to vision loss. Among these, the choriocapillaris (CC) has been found to be affected in different stages of AMD. In this review we provide a discussion on the different stages of AMD, focusing particularly on the alterations involving the CC. This has been possible thanks to the introduction of optical coherence tomography-angiography, a recently developed imaging technique which allows the detection of blood flow in choroidal vessels. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide a description of the various alterations involving the CC in the different stages of AMD.

Asunto(s)

Coroides , Angiografía con Fluoresceína , Degeneración Macular , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Coroides/irrigación sanguínea , Coroides/patología , Coroides/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Degeneración Macular/diagnóstico , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Flujo Sanguíneo Regional/fisiología

RESUMEN

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of distinctive capillary-large vessel (CLV) analysis in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) on the classification performance of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: This multicenter study analyzed 212 OCTA images from 146 patients, including 28 controls, 36 diabetic patients without DR (NoDR), 31 with mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), 28 with moderate NPDR, and 23 with severe NPDR. Quantitative features were derived from the whole image as well as the parafovea and perifovea regions. A support vector machine classifier was employed for DR classification. The accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate the classification performance, utilizing features derived from the whole image and specific regions, both before and after CLV analysis. Results: Differential CLV analysis significantly improved OCTA classification of DR. In binary classifications, accuracy improved by 11.81%, rising from 77.45% to 89.26%, when utilizing whole image features. For multiclass classifications, accuracy increased by 7.55%, from 78.68% to 86.23%. Incorporating features from the whole image, parafovea, and perifovea further improved binary classification accuracy from 83.07% to 93.80%, and multiclass accuracy from 82.64% to 87.92%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that feature changes in capillaries are more sensitive during DR progression, and CLV analysis can significantly improve DR classification performance by extracting features that are specific to large vessels and capillaries in OCTA. Incorporating regional features further improves DR classification accuracy. Differential CLV analysis promises better disease screening, diagnosis, and treatment outcome assessment.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Retinopatía Diabética , Angiografía con Fluoresceína , Curva ROC , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Retinopatía Diabética/clasificación , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Femenino , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Masculino , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Anciano , Estudios Retrospectivos , Fondo de Ojo , Adulto

RESUMEN

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of magnification error and axial length (AL) on circumpapillary capillary density (cpCD) and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT) in healthy eyes. Seventy-two healthy eyes of 72 subjects with AL 24.7 ± 1.5 mm (range: 20.9-28.0 mm) were enrolled in this retrospective cross-sectional study and underwent optical coherence tomography angiography scanning. Magnification corrected measurement areas were obtained using AL upon which corrected cpCD, cpRNFLT values were determined. Relationships between AL and the percentage difference between corrected and uncorrected values (ΔcpCD, ΔcpRNFLT) as well as the effect of AL on magnification corrected cpCD, cpRNFLT were evaluated. ΔcpCD significantly increased with AL in the global, inferior nasal and superior nasal sectors (all p < 0.001). ΔcpRNFLT significantly increased with AL in global and all sectors (all p < 0.001) and the correlations were significantly stronger than that of ΔcpCD-AL in all sectors (all p < 0.001). Corrected cpCD did not associate with AL while corrected cpRNFLT demonstrated a significant positive association with AL in the global (p = 0.005) and temporal sector (p < 0.001). Magnification error led to a significant underestimation of cpCD in eyes with longer AL although its underestimation and the effect of AL was smaller in comparison to that of cpRNFLT.

Asunto(s)

Longitud Axial del Ojo , Fibras Nerviosas , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Fibras Nerviosas/fisiología , Estudios Retrospectivos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Longitud Axial del Ojo/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Adulto Joven , Retina/diagnóstico por imagen

RESUMEN

A man in his 60s with hyperamylasemia underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography, which revealed masses in his pelvic cavity on the right side and in the left axilla. Hence, a detailed examination was performed. Upon performing Sonazoid® (perfluorobutane) contrast-enhanced ultrasound, it was discovered that the right-sided pelvic cavity mass exhibited centripetal contrast-enhancement right from the early stage. Subsequently, the contrast material disappeared from the center and was washed out in the postvascular phase. The mass was suspected to be caused by vascular malformations. The right-sided pelvic cavity mass was excised, and upon histopathological examination, it was detected to be composed of capillary malformations. Thus, it was found that Sonazoid® contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination could aid in diagnosing retroperitoneal masses.

Asunto(s)

Medios de Contraste , Compuestos Férricos , Hierro , Óxidos , Ultrasonografía , Humanos , Masculino , Fluorocarburos , Espacio Retroperitoneal/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/anomalías , Capilares/patología , Malformaciones Vasculares/diagnóstico por imagen , Persona de Mediana Edad

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: Connective tissue-associated interstitial lung diseases (CTD-ILD) are believed to be caused by microvascular damage. The objective of this study was to assess the nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) pattern in patients diagnosed with both CTD-ILD and non-CTD-ILD to identify microvascular changes and determine the relation between capillaroscopic parameters, clinical variables, and disease-related measurements. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 95 patients with interstitial lung disease who applied to our Rheumatology and Chest Clinics between September 2021 and July 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on their diagnosis: non-CTD-ILD (group 1) and CTD-ILD (group 2). Nailfold capillaroscopy was performed. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients, 49 (51% female, mean age 62.31 ± 11.027 years) in group 1 and 46 (69.6% female, mean age 62.09 ± 10.887 years) in group 2, were included in the study. Abnormal capillary morphologies were both detected in the CTD-ILD group and the non-CTD-ILD groups. In patients with a usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern on chest computed tomography (CT), tortuosity was higher than in patients with non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) (P = 0.041), and the proportion of tortuosity increased significantly as the duration of the disease increased (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Our study highlights capillaroscopic abnormalities alone may not be sufficient to differentiate CTD-ILD (other than systemic sclerosis) from non-CTD-ILD. The presence of NFC abnormalities in non-CTD-ILD may suggest that fibrotic lung disease could potentially play a role in the deterioration of the microvascular structure or abnormal angiogenesis. Our study demonstrated that a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating clinical, morphological, pathological, and serological evaluations, is necessary for interpreting ILD. Key Points • Capillaroscopic abnormalities can also be seen in non-CTD-ILD. • Capillaroscopy findings do not distinguish the non-Ssc etiology of ILD. • Nailfold capillaroscopy may have the potential to serve as a useful tool in predicting prognosis and monitoring the disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Asunto(s)

Enfermedades Pulmonares Intersticiales , Angioscopía Microscópica , Humanos , Femenino , Enfermedades Pulmonares Intersticiales/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedades Pulmonares Intersticiales/complicaciones , Enfermedades Pulmonares Intersticiales/diagnóstico , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Transversales , Anciano , Pronóstico , Enfermedades del Tejido Conjuntivo/complicaciones , Enfermedades del Tejido Conjuntivo/diagnóstico por imagen , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Uñas/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología , Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos X

RESUMEN

Documenting the organization of the retinal capillaries is of importance to understand the visual consequences of vascular diseases which may differentially affect the microvascular layers. Here we detailed the spatial organization of the macular capillaries in ten healthy human subjects using a prototypic adaptive optics-enhanced optical coherence tomography angiography (AO-OCTA) system. Within the central 6° × 6°, the radial peripapillary capillaries and the superficial, intermediate and deep vascular plexuses (SVP, IVP and DVP, respectively) were consistently resolved. In 8 out of the 10 eyes, the capillary segments composing the perifoveal arcade (PFA) were perfused only by the SVP, while drainage of the PFA showed more variability, comprising a case in which the PFA was drained by the DVP. Around the center, a distinct central avascular zone could be documented for each layer in 7 of the 10 cases; in three eyes, the IVP and SVP merged tangentially around the center. In all eyes, the foveal avascular zone was larger in the DVP than in the SVP and IVP. In one eye with incomplete separation of the inner foveal layers, there was continuity of both the SVP and the IVP; a central avascular zone was only present in the DVP. The diversity of perfusion and drainage patterns supported a connectivity scheme combining parallel and serial organizations, the latter being the most commonly observed in perifoveal vessels. Our results thus help to further characterize the diversity of organization patterns of the macular capillaries and to robustly analyze the IVP, which will help to characterize early stages of microvascular diseases.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Mácula Lútea/irrigación sanguínea , Mácula Lútea/diagnóstico por imagen , Persona de Mediana Edad , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease, is associated with various nail changes. Its etiopathogenesis is multifaceted, with microvascular damage being crucial. Nail fold capillaroscopy (NFC) emerges as a novel tool for detecting early vascular deficits in leprosy. The study aimed to assess and provide a complete clinical characterization of NFC changes in leprosy patients. METHODS: It is an observational cross-sectional study, done over a period of 1.5 year (January 2021 to august 2022) in a tertiary care hospital, encompassing 60 patients diagnosed with leprosy (18-60 years). After obtaining informed consent; detailed history, complete cutaneous and neurological examinations were conducted. All fingernails and toenails were examined for clinical changes. Subsequently, onychoscopy was performed using USB type of video-dermatoscope (Model AM7115MZT Dino-lite), a non-invasive tool. This was followed by NFC which was done for all fingernails and images were recorded by single operator, which were then assessed for quantitative and qualitive changes and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v20, with mean capillary density compared using Student's t-test, morphological change frequencies assessed by proportions, and group comparisons made using Chi-square or Fischer exact tests, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 60 patients, 39 were in the lepromatous group, which included both borderline lepromatous (BL) and lepromatous leprosy (LL) patients, and 17 were in the tuberculoid group, which included borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy patients; 23.3 % had Type 1 reactions, and 18.3 % had Type 2 reactions. Nail fold capillaroscopy (NFC) showed microvasculature changes in 93.3 % of patients. The average capillary density was 6.8 ± 1.5 capillaries per mm, with the lepromatous group having a lower density (6.5 ± 1.09) compared to the tuberculoid group (7.0 ± 0.86). The most common NFC changes in the tuberculoid group were tortuous capillaries (70 %), capillary dropouts, and dilated capillaries (both 64.7 %). In the lepromatous group, capillary dropouts (82 %) were most frequent, followed by tortuous (69 %), receding (69 %), and dilated capillaries (66 %). A dilated and prominent subpapillary plexus was more common in the lepromatous group (35 %, p = 0.04). Patients with trophic changes in the lepromatous group had more capillary dropouts and bizarre capillaries. Capillary dropouts, dilated capillaries, and visible subpapillary venous plexus were more prevalent in patients with Type 2 reactions. CONCLUSION: NFC changes are prevalent in both tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy, which may be an indicator of peripheral vascular compromise and trophic changes, especially in lepromatous leprosy. NFC can be an auxiliary tool for detecting microvascular abnormalities in leprosy patients.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Angioscopía Microscópica , Uñas , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Humanos , Adulto , Persona de Mediana Edad , Masculino , Femenino , Estudios Transversales , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Adulto Joven , Adolescente , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología , Capilares/fisiopatología , Microcirculación , Enfermedades de la Uña/microbiología , Enfermedades de la Uña/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedades de la Uña/patología , Densidad Microvascular , Lepra/diagnóstico por imagen , Lepra/patología , Lepra/microbiología , Lepra/diagnóstico

RESUMEN

Since the 1970s, the utility of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) in diagnosing rheumatological disorders such as systemic sclerosis has been well established. Further studies have also shown that NFC can detect non-rheumatic diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma, dermatitis, and Alzheimer disease. In the past decade, nailfold capillary morphological changes have also been reported as symptoms of unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, smoking, sleep deprivation, and even psychological stress, all of which contribute to slow blood flow. Therefore, studying the relationships between the morphology of nailfold capillaries and lifestyle habits has a high potential to indicate unhealthy states or even pre-disease conditions. Simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive methods such as NFC are important and useful for routine medical examinations. The present study began with a systematic literature search of the PubMed database followed by a summary of studies reporting the assessment of morphological changes detected by NFC, and a comprehensive review of NFC's utility in clinical diagnosis and improving unhealthy dietary lifestyles. It culminates in a summary of dietary and lifestyle health promotion strategy, assessed based on NFC and other related measurements that indicate healthy microvascular blood flow and endothelial function.

Asunto(s)

Estilo de Vida , Angioscopía Microscópica , Uñas , Humanos , Angioscopía Microscópica/métodos , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Dieta , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen

RESUMEN

This study tested if a high-resolution, multi-modal, multi-scale retinal imaging instrument can provide novel information about structural abnormalities in vivo. The study examined 11 patients with very mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and 10 healthy subjects using fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography (OCTA), adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO), adaptive optics OCT and OCTA (AO-OCT(A)). Of 21 eyes of 11 patients, 11 had very mild NPDR, 8 had mild NPDR, 2 had moderate NPDR, and 1 had no retinopathy. Using AO-SLO, capillary looping, inflections and dilations were detected in 8 patients with very mild or mild NPDR, and microaneurysms containing hyperreflective granular elements were visible in 9 patients with mild or moderate NPDR. Most of the abnormalities were seen to be perfused in the corresponding OCTA scans while a few capillary loops appeared to be occluded or perfused at a non-detectable flow rate, possibly because of hypoperfusion. In one patient with moderate NPDR, non-perfused capillaries, also called ghost vessels, were identified by alignment of corresponding en face AO-OCT and AO-OCTA images. The combination of multiple non-invasive imaging methods could identify prominent microscopic abnormalities in diabetic retinopathy earlier and more detailed than conventional fundus imaging devices.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Retinopatía Diabética , Oftalmoscopía , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico por imagen , Retinopatía Diabética/patología , Femenino , Masculino , Oftalmoscopía/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología , Adulto , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Anciano , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos

RESUMEN

Purpose: To evaluate microvascular intereye differences in diabetic patients with same-stage diabetic retinopathy (DR) in both eyes as assessed using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, fovea-centered swept-source 6 × 6 mm OCTA scans were acquired using a 200 kHz OCTA device. Vessel density (VD) and fractal dimension were calculated on binarized, vessel-segmented images in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP). Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area (FAZA) and perimeter (FAZP) was measured and FAZ circularity (FAZC) calculated. Absolute difference (δabs) and asymmetry index between eyes was assessed and compared across DR stages. Differences of VD, FD, and FAZ parameters between left and right eye were evaluated using linear mixed models. Results: A total of 336 eyes of 168 diabetic patients without DR and with DR stages ranging from mild nonproliferative to proliferative DR were included for analysis. The intereye comparison revealed significantly lower VD in the SCP (estimate [95% CI] = -0.009 [-0.01; -0.006], P < 0.01), as well as a significantly lower FD in the SCP (-0.007 [-0.009; -0.005], P < 0.01) of the left compared to the right eye. FAZC of the left compared to the right eye was lower in eyes without DR, moderate DR, and PDR (P < 0.05). FAZ δabs and asymmetry index were higher in more advanced disease stages (P < 0.05). Conclusions: OCTA metrics provide important information on the retinal microvasculature in systemic diseases such as DR. Our results reveal a significant intereye difference with lower VD and FD in the SCP as well as higher FAZ impairment of the left compared to the right eye.

Asunto(s)

Retinopatía Diabética , Angiografía con Fluoresceína , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Humanos , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico , Retinopatía Diabética/fisiopatología , Retinopatía Diabética/diagnóstico por imagen , Estudios Transversales , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Anciano , Densidad Microvascular , Fóvea Central/irrigación sanguínea , Fóvea Central/diagnóstico por imagen , Fóvea Central/patología , Adulto , Fondo de Ojo , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Microvasos/patología , Microvasos/diagnóstico por imagen , Agudeza Visual/fisiología

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary disease caused by NOTCH3 mutation. Nailfold capillaroscopy is a non-invasive technique typically used for rheumatic diseases. It has potential in other conditions linked to vascular pathology. However, capillaroscopy in CADASIL has not been explored. This study aims to investigate whether capillaroscopy measurements can correlate with brain vascular changes in preclinical CADASIL patients, specifically those with NOTCH3 mutation. METHODS: This study included 69 participants from the Taiwan Precision Medicine Initiative (TPMI) dataset who visited Taichung Veterans General Hospital from January to December 2022. All individuals underwent genetic studies, brain imaging and nailfold capillaroscopy. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare results of brain imaging between carriers and controls. It was also used to compare measurements in nailfold capillaroscopy within each group. Spearman Rank Correlation Analysis was used to explore the relationship between capillary measurements and brain MRI results. RESULTS: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) expression was positively correlated with capillary dimension and negatively correlated with density. Our results presented that R544C carriers exhibited a diffuse increase in WMH (p < 0.001) and a global reduction in gray matter volume but preserved in specific areas. The white matter lesion scores in all brain regions were higher in the mutation carriers than the controls. (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This research highlights the association of nailfold capillaroscopy findings with white matter lesions in preclinical CADASIL patients. Capillaroscopy guides an effective screening strategy in individuals with NOTCH3 mutations.

Asunto(s)

CADASIL , Capilares , Angioscopía Microscópica , Mutación , Receptor Notch3 , Humanos , CADASIL/genética , CADASIL/diagnóstico por imagen , Receptor Notch3/genética , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Angioscopía Microscópica/métodos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Uñas/diagnóstico por imagen , Anciano , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/patología , Sustancia Blanca/diagnóstico por imagen , Sustancia Blanca/patología

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is the primary diagnostic tool for the assessment of microcirculation in the pediatric population. OBJECTIVE: To define and standardize age-specific normal NVC patterns in healthy children and adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational multicentric study was conducted in 564 participants aged 5-17 years. Dino-Lite CapillaryScope 200 Pro Model MEDL4N Pro was performed at 200× magnification. Quantitative and qualitative NVC parameters were analysed separately for each age group and divided into four groups based on age categories. RESULTS: Of the 564 healthy participants, 54.9% were female. A total of 1184 images and 3384 capillaries were analysed. Positive correlations were observed between age and capillary density (P < 0.001, R = 0.450, CI95% 0.398-0.503). There was also a positive correlation between age and arterial/venous, loop diameter and capillary length, whereas there was a weak negative correlation between intercapillary distance. However, no correlation was found between age and capillary width. In addition, capillary density was significantly lower in the 5-7 age group compared with the other patient groups. Arterial limb diameter was lower in the 5-7 age group, while venous limb diameter was significantly wider in the 15-17 age group compared with the other patient groups. Dilated capillaries (8.7%), capillary tortuosity (14.4%), crossed capillaries (43.1%), micro-haemorrhages (2.7%) and avascular area (4.8%) were present in all age groups. Excellent intra- and interobserver ICC values were obtained for all parameters. CONCLUSION: These findings hold potential significance for future studies, aiding in the analysis and differentiation of children suspected of rheumatological diseases with potential microangiopathy.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Microcirculación , Angioscopía Microscópica , Uñas , Humanos , Niño , Femenino , Masculino , Adolescente , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Estudios Transversales , Angioscopía Microscópica/métodos , Preescolar , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Uñas/diagnóstico por imagen , Microcirculación/fisiología , Valores de Referencia , Factores de Edad , Voluntarios Sanos

RESUMEN

Visualizing the whole vascular network system is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of specific diseases and devising targeted therapeutic interventions. Although the combination of light sheet microscopy and tissue-clearing methods has emerged as a promising approach for investigating the blood vascular network, leveraging the spatial resolution down to the capillary level and the ability to image centimeter-scale samples remains difficult. Especially, as the resolution improves, the issue of photobleaching outside the field of view poses a challenge to image the whole vascular network of adult mice at capillary resolution. Here, we devise a fluorescent microsphere vascular perfusion method to enable labeling of the whole vascular network in adult mice, which overcomes the photobleaching limit during the imaging of large samples. Moreover, by combining the utilization of a large-scale light-sheet microscope and tissue clearing protocols for whole-mouse samples, we achieve the capillary-level imaging resolution (3.2 × 3.2 × 6.5 µm) of the whole vascular network with dimensions of 45 × 15 × 82 mm in adult mice. This method thus holds great potential to deliver mesoscopic resolution images of various tissue organs for whole-animal imaging.

Asunto(s)

Microesferas , Animales , Ratones , Colorantes Fluorescentes/química , Microscopía Fluorescente/métodos , Perfusión , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen

RESUMEN

Multiple ophthalmic diseases lead to decreased capillary perfusion that can be visualized using optical coherence tomography angiography images. To quantify the decrease in perfusion, past studies have often used the vessel density, which is the percentage of vessel pixels in the image. However, this method is often not sensitive enough to detect subtle changes in early pathology. More recent methods are based on quantifying non-perfused or intercapillary areas between the vessels. These methods rely upon the accuracy of vessel segmentation, which is a challenging task and therefore a limiting factor for reliability. Intercapillary areas computed from perfusion-distance measures are less sensitive to errors in the vessel segmentation since the distance to the next vessel is only slightly changing if gaps are present in the segmentation. We present a novel method for distinguishing between glaucoma patients and healthy controls based on features computed from the probability density function of these perfusion-distance areas. The proposed approach is evaluated on different capillary plexuses and outperforms previously proposed methods that use handcrafted features for classification. Moreover the results of the proposed method are in the same range as the ones of convolutional neural networks trained on the raw input images and is therefore a computationally efficient, simple to implement and explainable alternative to deep learning-based approaches.

Asunto(s)

Glaucoma , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Humanos , Glaucoma/diagnóstico por imagen , Glaucoma/diagnóstico , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Femenino , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador/métodos , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is a valuable tool in the differential diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), present in certain Rheumatic diseases (RD). Knowing that many people have cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), the main objective was to demonstrate that CVRF and carotid plaques produce NVC alterations. METHODS: Cross-sectional unicentric study carried out from 2020 to 2023. Four groups were formed: subjects with RD and RP, participants with RD without RP, subjects with RP without RD and finally participants without RP or RD (study group). Each subject exhibiting CVRF presented only a single risk factor. The variables collected were: sociodemographic, CVRF (diabetes, tobacco, alcohol (ALC), obesity (OBE), dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension (AH)), diseases, RP, treatments, tortuosities and NVC alterations (ramified capillaries, enlarged capillaries, giant capillaries, haemorrhages and density loss) and carotid ultrasound (CU). RESULTS: 402 subjects were included (76 % women, mean age 51 ± 16 years), 67 % had CVRF, 50 % RP and 38 % RD. Tortuosities were present in 100 % of CVRF participants. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of CVRF and all the NVC alterations: ramified capillaries (OR = 95.6), enlarged capillaries (OR = 59.2), giant capillaries (OR = 8.32), haemorrhages (OR = 17.6) and density loss (OR = 14.4). In particular, an association was found between giant capillaries with AH (p = 0,008) and OBE (p ã€ˆ0,001), and haemorrhages and density loss with ALC and OBE (p < 0,001). On the other hand, 40 subjects presented CU plaques (9.9 %), associated with enlarged capillaries (OR = 8.08), haemorrhages (OR = 4.04) and ramified capillaries (OR = 3.01). The pathological intima-media thickness was also associated with haemorrhages (OR = 3.14). CONCLUSIONS: There is a clear association between CVRF and ultrasound atherosclerotic findings in carotid with NVC alterations. These findings are of special interest for a correct NVC interpretation and to avoid false positives in the diagnosis of primary and secondary RP.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Factores de Riesgo de Enfermedad Cardiaca , Angioscopía Microscópica , Uñas , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Enfermedad de Raynaud , Humanos , Femenino , Estudios Transversales , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto , Anciano , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Capilares/patología , Capilares/fisiopatología , Uñas/irrigación sanguínea , Enfermedad de Raynaud/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedad de Raynaud/diagnóstico , Enfermedad de Raynaud/epidemiología , Enfermedad de Raynaud/fisiopatología , Medición de Riesgo , Placa Aterosclerótica , Enfermedades de las Arterias Carótidas/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedades de las Arterias Carótidas/epidemiología

RESUMEN

Importance: Rapid initial optic nerve head capillary density loss may be used to assess the risk of glaucoma visual field progression. Objective: To investigate the association between the rate of initial optic nerve head capillary density loss from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and visual field progression. Design, Setting, Participants: This was a retrospective study of a longitudinal cohort at a glaucoma referral center. A total of 167 eyes (96 with primary open-angle glaucoma and 71 with glaucoma suspect) of 109 patients were monitored for a mean (SD) of 5.7 (1.4) years from January 2015 to December 2022. Data analysis was undertaken in April 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: The rates of initial capillary density and average retinal nerve fiber layer loss were calculated from the first 3 optic nerve head OCTA and OCT scans, respectively, during the initial follow-up (mean [SD], 2.0 [1.0] years). Based on the median rate, eyes were categorized into fast and slow progressor groups. The association between initial capillary density change or retinal nerve fiber layer thinning and visual field progression was evaluated using linear-mixed and time-varying Cox models. Results: A total of 167 eyes of 109 patients (mean [SD] age, 69.0 [11.1] years; 56 [51.4%] female and 53 [48.6%] male) were assessed. Eighty-three eyes were slow OCTA progressors, while 84 eyes were fast with mean capillary density loss of -0.45% per year and -1.17% per year, respectively (mean difference, -0.72%/year; 95% CI,-0.84 to -0.60; P < .001). Similarly, 83 eyes were slow OCT progressors, while 84 eyes were fast with mean retinal nerve fiber layer thinning of -0.09 µm per year and -0.60 µm per year, respectively (mean difference, -0.51 µm/year; 95% CI,-0.59 to -0.43; P < .001). The fast OCTA and OCT progressors were associated with more rapid visual field loss (mean difference, -0.18 dB/year; 95% CI,-0.30 to -0.06; P = .004 and -0.17 dB/year; 95% CI,-0.29 to -0.06; P = .002, respectively). Fast OCTA progressing eyes were more likely to have visual field progression (hazard ratio, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.04-3.69; P = .04). Seventeen of 52 eyes (32.7%; 95% CI, 32.5-32.8) with fast OCTA and OCT progression developed subsequent visual field likely progression. Conclusion and Relevance: Rapid initial optic nerve head capillary density loss from OCTA was associated with a faster rate of visual field progression and a doubling of the risk of developing event progression in this study. These findings may support clinical use of OCTA and OCT optic nerve head measurements for risk assessment of glaucoma progression.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto , Presión Intraocular , Fibras Nerviosas , Disco Óptico , Células Ganglionares de la Retina , Vasos Retinianos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Campos Visuales , Humanos , Campos Visuales/fisiología , Femenino , Masculino , Disco Óptico/irrigación sanguínea , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodos , Capilares/patología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Anciano , Células Ganglionares de la Retina/patología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Fibras Nerviosas/patología , Presión Intraocular/fisiología , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto/fisiopatología , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto/diagnóstico , Vasos Retinianos/diagnóstico por imagen , Vasos Retinianos/patología , Estudios de Seguimiento , Pruebas del Campo Visual , Angiografía con Fluoresceína/métodos , Factores de Riesgo , Enfermedades del Nervio Óptico/diagnóstico , Enfermedades del Nervio Óptico/fisiopatología , Hipertensión Ocular/fisiopatología , Hipertensión Ocular/diagnóstico

RESUMEN

Skin color observation provides a simple and non-invasive method to estimate the health status of patients. Capillary Refill Time (CRT) is widely used as an indicator of pathophysiological conditions, especially in emergency patients. While the measurement of CRT is easy to perform, its evaluation is highly subjective. This study proposes a method to aid quantified CRT measurement using an RGB camera. The procedure consists in applying finger compression to the forearm, and the CRT is calculated based on the skin color change after the pressure release. We estimate compression applied by a finger from its fingernail color change during compression. Our study shows a step towards camera-based quantitative CRT for untrained individuals.

Asunto(s)

Capilares , Dedos , Dedos/irrigación sanguínea , Dedos/fisiología , Humanos , Capilares/fisiología , Capilares/diagnóstico por imagen , Factores de Tiempo , Presión , Masculino , Adulto , Fenómenos Mecánicos , Femenino