Regional Differences of Choroidal Structure Determined by Wide-Field Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose To compare the submacular to the perimacular choroidal structure in images obtained by wide-field optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Thirty eyes of 30 healthy volunteers (15 men) were studied. Twelve wide-field radial circumferential scans were recorded with enhanced depth imaging OCT from the macular and perimacular zones. The sizes of the luminal and stromal areas of the choroid were determined. The two zones were subdivided into the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal sectors. The total choroidal area, the luminal and stromal areas, and the luminal ratio of each sector were compared. Results All of the choroidal structural parameters analyzed in the present study were largest in the superior sector followed by the temporal, inferior, and nasal sectors. The coefficients of variation were larger in the perimacular zone than in the macular zone: The luminal ratio in the macular zone varied by 1.2%, and that in perimacular zone varied by 4.2%. Conclusions The variations in the ratios of the luminal areas of the choroid in the wide-field OCT images are slight in the macular zone but considerable in the perimacular zone.