Normative Data Assessment of Vessel Density and Foveal Avascular Zone Metrics Using AngioScan Software

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To establish a normative database for macular and peripapillary vessel densities (VD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) metrics in healthy subjects with the new version of AngioScan software of RS-3000 Advance (Nidek Co, Ltd) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) device.

Methods: The study design was prospective and cross-sectional. VDs of the SCP, deep capillary plexus (DCP), retinal peripapillary capillary plexus (RPCP) and FAZ area, perimeter and circularity index (CI) along with the structural OCT measurements were scanned by using the Nidek’s RS-3000 Advance OCT-A device in healthy subjects. The new version of the AngioScan software was used for analytics. The relations between the OCT-A parameters with age, gender and OCT parameters were analyzed.

Results: A total of 128 right eyes of 128 subjects (50% female) were included in this study. We divided subjects into 3 groups in accordance with age; 19–39 years to Group 1, 40–59 years to Group 2, >60 y. to Group 3. The mean SCP and DCP VDs were 41.25 ± 2.51% and 36.01 ± 5.07% respectively (P < .001). The DCP VD was significantly different between groups (P = .001). The mean FAZ area, perimeter and CI were 0.33 ± 0.12 mm², 2.68 ± 0.6 mm and 0.47 ± 0.09 respectively. Only FAZ CI significantly differed between groups (P = .003). The FAZ area was significantly greater in female subjects than males (P = .025). The SCP and DCP VDs were inversely correlated with FAZ area and perimeter (P < .05).

Conclusion: Our study provided for the first time the normative data of the recently updated AngioScan software of Nidek. Additional studies are needed to define pathological vascular changes in ocular and systemic diseases with this new software.

KEYWORDS:

• Optical coherence tomography angiography
• vessel density
• normative data
• foveal avascular zone
• Nidek RS-3000 advance

Acknowledgments

We are so grateful to Ahmet Yalcin (MD, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan Binali Yildirim University) and Murat Kucukevcilioglu (MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Gulhane Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences University) for providing professional advice.

The authors certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.