Comparison of Retinal Thickness Measurements Using Optos Monaco and Heidelberg Spectralis OCT Across ETDRS Sectors in Normal Eyes.

PURPOSE: To compare retinal thickness measurements obtained with the Optos Monaco and Heidelberg Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems across 9 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) sectors in a cohort comprising normal eyes.

METHODS

Paired OCT scans from 64 eyes of 32 participants with normal retinal findings were acquired on both devices. Thickness measurements were obtained for the central subfield and the inner and outer sectors of the superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal quadrants. Outcomes included mean thickness, mean interdevice difference (Heidelberg minus Monaco), Pearson correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman analyses. Scatterplots and Bland-Altman plots were constructed to evaluate agreement and assess potential interchangeability.

RESULTS

The Heidelberg Spectralis yielded significantly greater retinal thickness values than the Optos Monaco in all ETDRS sectors (p < 0.001), with mean differences ranging from +16.9 µm (outer superior) to +26.8 µm (inner superior). Pearson correlation coefficients indicated strong positive agreement (r ≥ 0.8) for the central subfield and most inner sectors, and moderate to strong positive agreement (r ≥ 0.5) in a single outer sector. Bland-Altman analyses demonstrated a statistically significant systematic bias favoring greater measurements with Heidelberg in most quadrants, with limits of agreement indicating clinically relevant variability. Although the relative agreement was high, absolute differences limit direct interchangeability.

CONCLUSIONS

Optos Monaco and Heidelberg Spectralis exhibit strong linear correlation in retinal thickness measurements but show significant systematic differences. Interchangeable use requires the application of correction factors where segmentation variability may be greater.