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Developing SDOCT to assess donor human eyes prior to tissue sectioning for research

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology volume 247, Article number: 1069 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

Background

To compare spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) cross-sectional images of human central retina obtained from donor eyes with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to corresponding histopathology from light micrographs. To establish the utility of SDOCT for localizing pathology in the posterior eyecup, for identifying ocular disease in donor eyes, or for directing subsequent sectioning of retinal lesions for research.

Methods

Seven consecutive human donor eyes were selected based on age. The eyes, with the anterior segment removed, were imaged by SDOCT with a focusing aspheric lens. Four eyes were from donors with a clinical history of AMD, and three were from age-matched donors with no history of AMD. Histopathological correlation of morphological changes detected in three eyes by SDOCT was obtained for comparison to step serial-sectioned light microscopy images of the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded retina. A simplified imaging setup was tested on an enucleated porcine eye for comparison.

Results

AMD pathology was detected and localized in four eyes by SDOCT. The SDOCT images correlated with the histopathology observed by light microscopy in each sectioned eye. Pathologies included a subfoveal neovascular lesion with subretinal fluid, peripapillary neovascularization, epiretinal membrane, foveal cyst, choroidal folds, and drusen. Similar imaging was possible with the simplified setup.

Conclusions

SDOCT imaging identified retinal disease of the posterior eyecup in human donor eyes. Pathology detected with SDOCT was verified by light microscopy in three eyes, supporting the utility of SDOCT as a screening tool for research.

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Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge the contributions of Farshid Guilak for critically reviewing the study proposal; Elizabeth Williams, Ramiro Maldonado, and Katrina Winter for collecting data; Sina Farsiu and Bradley Bower for serving as scientific advisors.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the NIH under grant EB01630 (Brown), 5R21EY017393–02 (McCall, Izatt, Toth), and NEI P30EY005722 in addition to the Macular Vision Research Foundation (Bowes-Rickman), the Ruth and Milton Steinbach Fund (Bowes-Rickman), and the Research to Prevent Blindness William and Mary Greve Special Scholars Award (Bowes-Rickman).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA

    Ninita H. Brown, Joseph A. Izatt & Cynthia A. Toth

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Eye Center, Erwin Rd, Durham, NC, Box 3802, 27710, USA

    Anjum F. Koreishi, Michelle McCall, Joseph A. Izatt, Catherine Bowes Rickman & Cynthia A. Toth

  3. Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Catherine Bowes Rickman

Authors
  1. Ninita H. Brown
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  2. Anjum F. Koreishi
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  3. Michelle McCall
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  4. Joseph A. Izatt
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  5. Catherine Bowes Rickman
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  6. Cynthia A. Toth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cynthia A. Toth.

Additional information

The authors have full control of all primary data, and agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review their data upon request.

Financial disclosure

McCall: Honoraria from Bioptigen Inc., Izatt: Equipment from Bioptigen, Inc., Consultant for Bioptigen, Inc., Licensed technology to Bioptigen, Inc. Toth: Research funding from: Genentech, Sirion Therapeutics, Bioptigen, Inc., Alcon Laboratories, Inc., NC Biotechnology Center; Consultant for Genentech, Licensed technology to Alcon Laboratories.

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Brown, N.H., Koreishi, A.F., McCall, M. et al. Developing SDOCT to assess donor human eyes prior to tissue sectioning for research. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 247, 1069 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1044-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1044-3

Keywords

  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • SDOCT
  • Human donor eyes
  • Drusen