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Optical Coherence Tomography to Differentiate Papilledema from Pseudopapilledema

  • Neuro-Ophthalmology (A Kawasaki, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Mild papilledema may be difficult to distinguish by clinical observation from pseudopapilledema. An accurate diagnosis is critical to avoid invasive workup and unwarranted treatment. In this review, we focus on the development and subsequent role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in detecting and differentiating optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) from papilledema and other causes of acquired swelling of the optic disc.

Recent Findings

Newer OCT technologies which permit deeper penetration to improve detection of ONHD were also reviewed. Enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral-domain OCT and swept-source (SS) OCT are currently recognized as the most reliable and sensitive tools to diagnose ONHD.

Summary

OCT devices currently available provide a means to quantify drusen dimensions, to evaluate the integrity of neighboring structures and to monitor axonal and neuronal damage, yielding additional information to better understand the relationship between the morphological features of drusen, and their effects on the structure and function of the optic nerve.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Carretera de Colmenar Viejo Km 9.100, 28034, Madrid, Spain

    Gema Rebolleda, Victoria de Juan, Noelia Oblanca & Francisco Jose Muñoz-Negrete

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Hopital Ophtalmique Jules Gonin, University Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Aki Kawasaki

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  1. Gema Rebolleda
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Correspondence to Victoria de Juan.

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Gema Rebolleda, Aki Kawasaki, Victoria de Juan, Noelia Oblanca, and Francisco Jose Muñoz Negrete declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Rebolleda, G., Kawasaki, A., de Juan, V. et al. Optical Coherence Tomography to Differentiate Papilledema from Pseudopapilledema. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 17, 74 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-017-0790-6

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