Clinical Features Related to OCT Angiography Artifacts in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema

Sema Tamer Kaderli; Gabriele Piccoli; Celeste Limoli; Sofia Ginelli; Simone Caboni; Luigi Brotto; Emanuele Torti; Louise O'Toole; Paolo Nucci; Stela Vujosevic

doi:10.1016/j.oret.2024.02.017

Clinical Features Related to OCT Angiography Artifacts in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema

Ophthalmol Retina. 2024 Mar 4:S2468-6530(24)00089-7. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2024.02.017. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Mugla Training and Research Hospital, Mugla, Turkey.
² Eye Clinic, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy.
³ Eye Clinic, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
⁴ Laboratory of Custom Computing and Programmable Systems, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Lombardia, Italy.
⁵ Mater Private Network, Dublin, Ireland.
⁶ Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
⁷ Eye Clinic, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: stela.vujosevic@unimi.it.

PMID: 38447922
DOI: 10.1016/j.oret.2024.02.017

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the frequency and type of artifacts on OCT angiography (OCTA) images and the relationship with clinical features in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional comparative study.

Subjects: One hundred ninety-two eyes of 140 patients with DME were included.

Methods: Medical records, OCT and OCTA images (Spectralis), and ultrawidefield color fundus photographs (Optos plc) were evaluated.

Main outcome measures: The frequency of artifact types (segmentation, motion, projection artifact, and low signal) was determined. The relationships between artifact types and clinical features such as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mean central retinal thickness (CRT), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, perimeter, circularity index, perfusion density (PD), vessel density (VD), fractal dimension (FD) in the superficial capillary plexus, intermediate capillary plexus (ICP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP), flow voids (FVs) in the choriocapillaris, presence of hard exudate (HE), and cataract were determined.

Results: The mean age was 71.6 ± 11.4 years, and 86 (61.4%) out of 140 were men. Artifacts were present in 63 (32.8%) of 192 eyes. Twenty-nine (15.1%) eyes had segmentation artifacts, 12 (6.3%) had motion artifacts, 11 (5.7%) had projection artifacts, and 18 (9.4%) had low signal. Best-corrected visual acuity, PD, VD, and FD in ICP and DCP were significantly lower; and CRT, FAZ area and perimeter in ICP and DCP, and presence of cystoid macular edema, HE, and cataract were higher in eyes with artifacts versus eyes without artifacts (P < 0.05 for each). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a significant association between segmentation artifacts and decreased BCVA (odds ratio [OR], 5.277; P = 0.02), increased CRT (OR, 1.015; P < 0.001), increased area of FAZ in DCP (OR, 6.625; P = 0.02), and increased perimeter of FAZ in DCP (OR, 1.775; P < 0.04); there was also a significant association between projection artifacts and presence of HE (OR, 2.017; P = 0.02) and between motion artifacts and presence of cataract (OR, 4.102; P = 0.01).

Conclusions: OCT angiography artifacts were present in one third of DME eyes, with segmentation artifacts being the most frequent type. Determining OCTA artifacts is crucial to ensure accurate clinical evaluation. These data could help in developing more standardized clinical protocols for image acquisition and interpretation used in clinical practice and research.

Financial disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Keywords: Artifact; Diabetic macular edema; Diabetic retinopathy; OCT angiography; Segmentation artifacts.