Comparison of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and Heidelberg retina tomograph III optic nerve head parameters in glaucoma.

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the agreement between the optic nerve head (ONH) measurements obtained by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SD-OCT/SLO) and the Heidelberg retinal tomograph III (HRT-III), and to compare the ONH measurements of both devices in different glaucoma types.

METHODS

In a prospective study, 30 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 30 patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG) were enrolled. All patients underwent SD-OCT/SLO and HRT-III evaluation of the ONH during the same visit. Agreement between measurements of SD-OCT/SLO and HRT-III were evaluated by determination of intraclass correlation coeficients. In addition, mean ONH measurements obtained with both devices were compared between POAG and PXG patient groups.

RESULTS

Mean SD-OCT/SLO measurements were greater than those of HRT-III, except for mean and maximum cup depth. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for disc area, rim area, cup area, cup/disc area ratio, mean cup depth and maximum cup depth were 0.367, 0.213, 0.632, 0.681, 0.775 and 0.661, respectively. No significant differences were found between ONH parameters of POAG and PXG patients as measured with both devices (p > 0.01).

CONCLUSION

ONH measurements with SD-OCT/SLO and HRT-III did not show clinically acceptable agreement in glaucoma patients. This precludes interchangeable use of these measurements in clinical practice. PXG and POAG patient groups displayed similar ONH measurements with both devices.