ObjectiveTo compare the imaging characteristics and detection of various types of lesions in diabetic retinopathy (DR) with colorful laser scanning fundus imaging (MSLI) and traditional color fundus photography (CFP).MethodsProspective case series observational study. A total of 38 eyes of 38 patients with DR diagnosed by clinical examination were included in the study. Among them, 21 were male and 17 were female; the mean age was 62.6±11.2 years; the average duration of diabetes was 14.3±7.5 years. All the patients were performed CFP, MSLI, frequency domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fluorescein angiography (FFA) examination. Using the Helielberg Spectralis HRA+OCT MSLI inspection, one scan simultaneously obtained 488 nm blue reflection (BR), 515 nm green light reflection (GR), 820 nm infrared light reflection (IR), and multicolor image (MC). The detection of traditional CFP and MC on microaneurysm (MA), hard exudation (HEX), cotton plaque (CWS), intraretinal hemorrhage (IRH), intraretinal microvascular abnormality (IRMA), venous bead (VB), venous ring (VL), macular edema (DME), macular anterior membrane (MEM) and laser photocoagulation (LB) were comparatively observed. The results of FFA examination were used as the diagnostic criteria for lesions. SD-OCT was used to determine the location and depth of lesions and the diagnostic reference for DME and MEM.ResultsThe numbers of eyes with MA (χ2=10.460), DME (χ2=4.006), MEM (χ2=4.444) was significantly higher in MC than that of traditional CFP. But the number of eyes with IRH (χ2=0.103), CWS (χ2=1.515), HEX (χ2=0.227), IRMA (χ2=0.051), VB (χ2=0.001), VL (χ2=0.149), VH (χ2=0.693) and LB (χ2=0.720) were not statistically significant between two methods (P>0.05). The imaging quality of MSLI mode is obviously better than that of traditional CFP. Among them, GR imaging shows the best structural changes of superficial retina in MA, CWS, HEX, MEM, etc. IR imaging shows clear depth in deep retina such as LB. DME was green on MC and the weak low-reflection dark area was visible on the IR image, which were consistent with the DME range indicated by the SD-OCT examination.ConclusionsCompared with the traditional CFP, the MSLI can clearly show the DR lesion. The number of checkouts is high on MA, DME and MEM by MC image.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common causes of visual impairment and blindness in diabetic patients. It is particularly important to set up simpler, safer, non-invasive and highly effective methods for diagnosis as well as monitoring DR. A variety of new fundus imaging techniques show great advantages in early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of DR in recent years. The main characteristics of wide-field scanning laser imaging system is achieving a large range of retinal image in a single photograph and without mydriasis. It provides several options for color images, FFA and FAF, which satisfy to detect the retina, choroid and vascular structure. Multi spectral fundus imaging system is suitable for DR screening, because it is able to recognize the typical characteristics of DR, such as microaneurysms, hemorrhage and exudation, and is non-invasive and convenient. OCT angiography is a quantitative examination that provides foveal avascular zone area, macular blood flow density, which provides strong evidence for DR diagnosis. The improvement of these new techniques will help us to build up a personalized evaluation system of DR.