Meet the expert
Wednesday 11/12 - 7:00 p.m.
Revising posterior segment with optical coherence tomography biomarkers
Tune in to discover how progress in optical coherence tomography has led to discovery of numerous structural findings in posterior segment disorders, which now termed “biomarkers”. Today we face the need in classification and systemizing all these features as well as in deeper understanding their nature and predictive potential.
This webinar aims to revise the existing variety of OCT biomarkers for posterior segment disorders known from literature. Based on the nature all these biomarkers can be divided to universal (including groups of vascular, exudative, inflammatory, neurodegenerative, RPE-degenerative, fibrotic, and mechanical (surgical) biomarkers) or specific.
Universal biomarkers can be found in different retinal disorders where they reflect driving forces and vectors of progression of the disease, while specific ones are associated with particular conditions. In each group contains well-known phenomena and newly discovered ones with elaborating potential.
New vascular biomarkers identified in literature include ‘retinal ischemic perivascular lesions’ (or paracentral acute middle maculopathy), ‘disorganization of retinal inner layers’, ‘acute macular neuroretinopathy’ (or angular sign of Henle fiber layer hyperreflectivity).
Recently discovered inflammatory biomarkers include ‘macrophage-like cells on the retinal surface’ and ‘posterior chamber foci’. Mechanical biomarkers in surgical pathology include ‘foveal crack sign’, ‘foveal cotton ball’, ‘fingerprint pattern’, ‘no optic pit retinoschisis’, ‘outer retinal undulation/outer retinal corrugation’, and ‘perivascular inner retinal defects’. Even among exudative biomarkers, which are generally well-known, we now may differentiate specific subtypes such as ‘bacillary layer detachment’.
For each biomarker we can define optimal modalities for evaluation (cross-sectional, structural en face, OCTA, three-dimensional reconstruction or image averaging) available with SOLIX OCT. Each biomarker has unique prognostic or diagnostic value, some alternative term, and differential findings, which we discuss in this meeting.
Finally, we consider a spectrum of condition-specific biomarkers such as those typical for the pachychoroid spectrum (intervortex anastomoses, choroidal caverns and rifts), age-related macular degeneration (including ‘onion sign’ and “ghost drusen”), myopia, or uveitis (‘raincloud sign’, ‘pitchfork sign’).
In conclusion, the variety of OCT biomarkers that can be evaluated using the SOLIX OCT makes this device a multimodal instrument for diagnosing posterior segment disorders.
You will have the opportunity to ask all your questions to our speakers live.
**Medical procedures, case studies, and practices mentioned in this content may vary based on regional standards, local regulations, and the discretion of providing healthcare professional. What may be considered appropriate and ethical in one country may differ in another.
