Quantifying Subclinical and Longitudinal Microvascular Changes Following Episcleral Plaque Brachytherapy Using Spectral Domain–Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Abstract

Purpose:

This work assesses longitudinal microvascular changes in eyes treated with iodine-125 episcleral plaque brachytherapy (EPB).

Methods:

High-resolution optical coherence tomography angiograms (OCTAs) of the central 3 × 3-mm macula were obtained from iodine-125 EPB–treated and untreated fellow eyes of 61 patients. Previously validated semiautomated algorithms quantified capillary density (vessel skeleton density [VSD]) and caliber (vessel diameter index). Nonperfusion was also quantified as flow impairment region (FIR). Examinations from treated and fellow eyes obtained before treatment and at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year intervals were compared using generalized estimating equation linear models. Dosimetry maps evaluated spatial correlation between radiation dose and microvascular metrics.

Results:

At 6 months, treated eyes had significantly lower VSD (0.145 ± 0.003 vs 0.155 ± 0.002; P = .009) and higher FIR (2.01 ± 0.199 vs 1.46 ± 0.104; P = .01) compared with fellow eyes. There was a significant decrease in VSD and a corresponding increase in FIR even for treated eyes without clinically identifiable retinopathy at 6 months. Vessel diameter index was significantly higher in treated eyes than in fellow eyes at 2 years (2.92 ± 0.025 vs 2.84 ± 0.018; P  < .001). We categorized our cohort into low-dose (< 15 Gy) and high-dose (> 45 Gy) radiation to the fovea and noted significant differences in VSD and FIR between groups.

Conclusions:

OCTA can quantify and monitor EPB-induced retinopathy and can detect vascular abnormalities even without clinically observable retinopathy. OCTA may be useful in investigating treatment interventions aiming to delay EPB-induced radiation retinopathy.