Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Aug 7;53(9):5198-207. doi: 10.1167/iovs.11-9229.
To describe morphometric details of the human aqueous humor (AH) outflow microvasculature visualized with 360-degree virtual castings during active AH outflow in cadaver eyes and to compare these structures with corrosion casting studies.
The conventional AH outflow pathways of donor eyes (n = 7) and eyes in vivo (n = 3) were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and wide-bandwidth superluminescent diode array during active AH outflow. Digital image contrast was adjusted to isolate AH microvasculature, and images were viewed in a 3D viewer. Additional eyes (n = 3) were perfused with mock AH containing fluorescent tracer microspheres to compare microvasculature patterns.
Observations revealed components of the conventional outflow pathway from Schlemm's canal (SC) to the superficial intrascleral venous plexus (ISVP). The superficial ISVP in both our study and corrosion casts were composed of interconnected venules (10-50 μm) forming a hexagonal meshwork. Larger radial arcades (50-100 μm) drained the region nearest SC and converged with larger tortuous vessels (>100 μm). A 360-degree virtual casting closely approximated corrosion casting studies. Tracer studies corroborated our findings. Tracer decorated several larger vessels (50-100 μm) extending posteriorly from the limbus in both raw and contrast-enhanced fluorescence images. Smaller tracer-labeled vessels (30-40 μm) were seen branching between larger vessels and exhibited a similar hexagonal network pattern.
SD-OCT is capable of detailed morphometric analysis of the conventional outflow pathway in vivo or ex vivo with details comparable to corrosion casting techniques.
描述在尸体眼主动房水流出过程中，通过 360 度虚拟铸件观察到的人房水流出微脉管的形态细节，并将这些结构与腐蚀铸造研究进行比较。
使用谱域光相干断层扫描（SD-OCT）和宽带超辐射发光二极管阵列对供体眼（n=7）和活体眼（n=3）的常规房水流出途径进行成像，在主动房水流出时。调整数字图像对比度以分离房水微血管，并在 3D 查看器中查看图像。对另外 3 只眼（n=3）进行含有荧光示踪微球的模拟房水灌注，以比较微血管模式。
观察结果显示了从小梁网（SC）到浅层巩膜内静脉丛（ISVP）的常规流出途径的组成部分。我们的研究和腐蚀铸型中的浅层 ISVP 均由相互连接的小静脉（10-50μm）组成，形成六边形网格。较大的放射状拱廊（50-100μm）排出靠近 SC 的区域，并与较大的曲折血管（>100μm）汇合。360 度虚拟铸件非常接近腐蚀铸造研究。示踪研究证实了我们的发现。示踪剂装饰了几个较大的血管（50-100μm），在原始和对比增强荧光图像中从角膜缘向后延伸。较小的示踪标记血管（30-40μm）在较大血管之间分支，并表现出类似的六边形网络模式。
SD-OCT 能够对活体或离体常规流出途径进行详细的形态计量分析，其细节可与腐蚀铸造技术相媲美。
