Correlation between high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and histopathology in an iodoacetic acid-induced model of retinal degeneration in rabbits
- Yasuyuki Yamauchi1,2,
- Tsuyoshi Agawa1,
- Rintaro Tsukahara1,
- Keisuke Kimura1,
- Naoyuki Yamakawa1,
- Masahiro Miura1,
- Hiroshi Goto1
- 1Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, Kohsei Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- Correspondence to Dr Yasuyuki Yamauchi, Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, 6-7-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan; phthisis{at}nifty.com
- Accepted 26 September 2010
- Published Online First 28 October 2010
Abstract
Background Recent research on macular disease has prompted investigation into the condition of the intersection of the inner and outer segments (IS/OS) and its relationship with retinal photoreceptor abnormalities. Because the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and histopathology is unclear, we compared these in an iodoacetic acid (IAA)-induced model of photoreceptor degeneration in rabbits.
Methods IAA (20 mg/kg), which is toxic to photoreceptors, was injected into six coloured rabbits. After IAA administration, nine retinas were used for histopathological study: three from rabbits surviving for 1 day and six from rabbits surviving for 4 months. Four healthy rabbit retinas served as controls. OCT images were taken before euthanasia.
Results In the controls, OCT images revealed the IS/OS as a clear, straight line. In rabbits surviving for 1 day, the structure of the photoreceptor IS/OS was destroyed and the IS/OS boundary was not visible. In rabbits surviving for 4 months, the IS was still preserved, but the structure of the OS was destroyed or partially disorganised, and the IS/OS was observed as a wavy, broken line on the OCT images.
Conclusion The IS/OS on the OCT images reflected the histopathology of the inner and outer segments in a photoreceptor degeneration model.
Footnotes
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Competing interests None to declare.
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Ethics approval Obtained from the Tokyo Medical University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
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Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.








