Comparison of standard versus wide-field composite images of the corneal subbasal layer by In vivo confocal microscopy

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Item Type:	Article
Title:	Comparison of standard versus wide-field composite images of the corneal subbasal layer by In vivo confocal microscopy
Creators Name:	Kheirkhah, A., Muller, R., Mikolajczak, J., Ren, A., Kadas, E.M., Zimmermann, H., Pruess, H., Paul, F., Brandt, A.U. and Hamrah, P.
Abstract:	Purpose: To evaluate whether the densities of corneal subbasal nerves and epithelial immune dendritiform cells (DCs) are comparable between a set of three representative standard images of in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and the wide-field mapped composite IVCM images. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional, and masked study included 110 eyes of 58 patients seen in a neurology clinic who underwent laser-scanning IVCM (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3) of the central cornea. Densities of subbasal corneal nerves and DCs were compared between the average of three representative standard images and the wide-field mapped composite images, which were reconstructed by automated mapping. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the average of three representative standard images (0.16 mm(2) each) and the wide-field composite images (1.29 +/- 0.64 mm(2)) in terms of mean subbasal nerve density (17.10 +/- 6.10 vs. 17.17 ± 5.60 mm/mm(2), respectively, P = 0.87) and mean subbasal DC density (53.2 +/- 67.8 vs. 49.0 +/- 54.3 cells/mm(2), respectively, P = 0.43). However, there were notable differences in subbasal nerve and DC densities between these two methods in eyes with very low nerve density or very high DC density. Conclusions: There are no significant differences in the mean subbasal nerve and DC densities between the average values of three representative standard IVCM images and wide-field mapped composite images. Therefore, these standard images can be used in clinical studies to accurately measure cellular structures in the subbasal layer.
Keywords:	Cell Count, Confocal Microscopy, Cornea, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dendrites, Ophthalmic Nerve, Prospective Studies
Source:	Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
ISSN:	0146-0404
Publisher:	Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Volume:	56
Number:	10
Page Range:	5801-5807
Date:	1 September 2015
Additional Information:	Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-17434
External Fulltext:	View full text on PubMed Central
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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