Photographic Gel Artifact Simulating International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity Notch: Stanford University Network for Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (SUNDROP) Report no. 16.

PURPOSE: To report a series of fundus photographs taken for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening that contain artifacts with imaging characteristics mimicking a notch, a recently refined classification metric in the International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity, third edition.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Infants requiring ROP screening in neonatal intensive care units from the Stanford University Network for Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (SUNDROP) and TeleROP telemedicine screening programs.

METHODS

Preterm infants meeting ROP examination criteria were screened with 130° wide-angle imaging systems. The images were taken by a trained nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit and transferred to an ROP specialist using a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant picture archiving and communication system for interpretation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of an artifact that appeared consistent with a notch.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 17 cases in ROP screening with artifact findings that had imaging characteristics similar to a notch. The artifactual appearance of the pseudo-notch was created by the camera illumination system within the gel-lens interface when the lens was not well apposed to the cornea. In telemedicine screening for ROP, we present fundus images of eyes with a pseudo-notch appearance; review of overlapping images can help differentiate between notch and artifact.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric retinal specialists need to be aware that artifacts play a confounding role in screening for ROP, that can be mitigated through the use of overlapping and redundant images.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.