TY - JOUR
T1 - Retinal optical coherence tomography angiography imaging in population studies for study of microvascular dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
AU - Kashani, Amir H
AU - Berendschot, Tos T J M
AU - Bonnin, Sophie
AU - Sobrin, Lucia
AU - De Jesus, Danilo Andrade
AU - Brea, Luisa Sanchez
AU - Martinez, Ana Collazo
AU - Raman, Rajiv
AU - de Vries, Victor A
AU - Huang, Haifan
AU - E3 consortium; for the Maastricht Study
AU - for the Framingham Heart Study
AU - for the Rotterdam Study
AU - for the Rhineland Study
AU - for the SIGNATR Study
AU - MacGillivray, Tom
AU - Ramdas, Wishal D
AU - van der Heide, Frank C T
N1 - © 2025 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.
PY - 2025/6/2
Y1 - 2025/6/2
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Widespread use of retinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) imaging requires methodological and analytical consensus to ensure reproducible and accurate results in epidemiological studies on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).METHODS: A consensus framework for assessment of fovea-centered 3 × 3-mm and 6 × 6-mm OCT-A image quality was developed, and reproducibility was reported. Agreement was assessed for overall image quality and image quality relevant for vessel density (VD) quantification and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) metrics. An analytic framework was also developed.RESULTS: Intergrader agreements for overall 3 × 3 mm image quality and quantitative assessment of VD and FAZ ranged between 71% and 87% (52 images). Intragrader agreements ranged between 82% and 93% (n = 27 images). Intergrader agreements were similar for 6 × 6-mm images. Three analytic scenarios were developed to account for bias that may result from image quality and ocular comorbidities.DISCUSSION: These recommendations provide a framework for working with OCT-A imaging in epidemiological studies on ADRD.HIGHLIGHTS: Multicentric consensus on quality criteria for use of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) images in population studies was achieved, considering commonly used protocols acquired with commercially available devices (Heidelberg, Zeiss, and Topcon). Considerable inter- and intrarater agreement was achieved for assessment of OCT-A image quality. A framework for harmonized data analyses was designed. Standardized analyses may accelerate the development of scalable retinal imaging biomarkers for ADRD.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Widespread use of retinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) imaging requires methodological and analytical consensus to ensure reproducible and accurate results in epidemiological studies on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).METHODS: A consensus framework for assessment of fovea-centered 3 × 3-mm and 6 × 6-mm OCT-A image quality was developed, and reproducibility was reported. Agreement was assessed for overall image quality and image quality relevant for vessel density (VD) quantification and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) metrics. An analytic framework was also developed.RESULTS: Intergrader agreements for overall 3 × 3 mm image quality and quantitative assessment of VD and FAZ ranged between 71% and 87% (52 images). Intragrader agreements ranged between 82% and 93% (n = 27 images). Intergrader agreements were similar for 6 × 6-mm images. Three analytic scenarios were developed to account for bias that may result from image quality and ocular comorbidities.DISCUSSION: These recommendations provide a framework for working with OCT-A imaging in epidemiological studies on ADRD.HIGHLIGHTS: Multicentric consensus on quality criteria for use of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) images in population studies was achieved, considering commonly used protocols acquired with commercially available devices (Heidelberg, Zeiss, and Topcon). Considerable inter- and intrarater agreement was achieved for assessment of OCT-A image quality. A framework for harmonized data analyses was designed. Standardized analyses may accelerate the development of scalable retinal imaging biomarkers for ADRD.
KW - Humans
KW - Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods
KW - Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging
KW - Retinal Vessels/diagnostic imaging
KW - Reproducibility of Results
KW - Fluorescein Angiography/methods
KW - Female
KW - Dementia/diagnostic imaging
KW - Male
KW - Aged
U2 - 10.1002/alz.70252
DO - 10.1002/alz.70252
M3 - Article
C2 - 40457754
SN - 1552-5260
VL - 21
SP - e70252
JO - Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association
JF - Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association
IS - 6
ER -