Artifact Rates for 2D Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Versus 3D Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Volume

Purpose To compare artifact rates in two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D) retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scans using Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Thirteen artifact types in 2D and 3D RNFL scans were identified in 106 glaucomatous eyes and 95 normal eyes. Artifact rates were calculated per B-scan and per eye. In 3D volume scans, artifacts were counted only for the 97 B-scans used to calculate RNFL parameters for the 2.5-3.5-mm annulus. 3D RNFL measurements were calculated twice, once before and again after deletion of B-scans with artifacts and subsequent automated interpolation. Results For 2D scans, artifacts were present in 58.5% of B-scans (62 of 106) in glaucomatous eyes. For 3D scans, a mean of 35.4% of B-scans (34.3 of 97 B-scans per volume scan) contained an artifact in 106 glaucomatous eyes. For 3D data of glaucoma patients, mean global RNFL thickness values were similar before and after interpolation (77.0 ± 11.6 µm vs. 75.1 ± 11.2 µm, respectively; P = 0.23). Fewer clinically significant artifacts were noted in 3D RNFL scans, where only 7.5% of glaucomatous eyes (8 of 106) and 0% of normal eyes (0 of 95) had artifacts, compared to 2D RNFL scans, where 58.5% of glaucomatous eyes (62 of 106) and 14.7% of normal eyes (14 of 95) had artifacts. Conclusions Compared to 2D RNFL scans, 3D RNFL volume scans less often require manual correction to obtain accurate measurements. Translational Relevance 3D RNFL volume scans have fewer clinically significant artifacts compared to 2D RNFL thickness scans.