Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2022 Sep 6;12(1):15130. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-17039-9.
We created three types of vessel models: vessel volume, surface, and line models from swept-source optical coherence tomography images and tested experimentally calculated three-dimensional (3D) biomarkers. The choroidal volume (CVolume), surface area (VSurface), and vessel length-associated index (VLI) were measured. The calculated 3D parameters were the mean choroidal thickness, choroidal vascularity index (CVI), vessel length density index (VLDI), vessel length to the stromal (VL-S) ratio, surface-to-volume ratio (S-V ratio), and vessel diameter index (VDI). Cluster analysis showed that the parameters were classified into two clusters: one was represented by the VVolume including the CVolume, VSurface, CVI, S-V ratio, VLI, VDI, and subfoveal choroidal thickness and the other by the VL-S ratio including the VLDI. Regarding the regional distribution, the VVolume, CVolume, VSurface, CVI, VLI, VL-S ratio, and VDI at the foveal center were higher than at the parafovea (P < 0.01). Although the VVolume decreased with age and axial length (AL) elongation, the association of the 3D parameters with age and AL elongation differed. The VLI, VLDI, VL-S ratio, and CVI decreased with age (P < 0.01) but not with AL elongation. The results suggested a structural difference in the choroidal vessel volume reduction between aging and AL elongation. The 3D parameters may provide additional information about the choroidal vasculature.
血管容积、表面和线模型，并对实验计算的三维（3D）生物标志物进行了测试。测量脉络膜容积（CVolume）、表面积（VSurface）和血管长度相关指数（VLI）。计算的 3D 参数为平均脉络膜厚度、脉络膜血管指数（CVI）、血管长度密度指数（VLDI）、血管长度与基质比（VL-S）、表面与体积比（S-V 比）和血管直径指数（VDI）。聚类分析表明，这些参数分为两类：一类以 VVolume 为代表，包括 CVolume、VSurface、CVI、S-V 比、VLI、VDI 和中心凹下脉络膜厚度，另一类以 VL-S 比为代表，包括 VLDI。关于区域分布，黄斑中心的 VVolume、CVolume、VSurface、CVI、VLI、VL-S 比和 VDI 高于旁中心（P < 0.01）。尽管 VVolume 随年龄和眼轴（AL）伸长而降低，但 3D 参数与年龄和 AL 伸长的相关性不同。VLI、VLDI、VL-S 比和 CVI 随年龄降低（P < 0.01），但与 AL 伸长无关。结果表明，脉络膜血管容积减少在衰老和 AL 伸长之间存在结构差异。3D 参数可能提供有关脉络膜血管的附加信息。
