Association of intravenous fluorescein angiography and adaptive optics imaging in diabetic retinopathy

Photoreceptor spacing on adaptive optics imaging was significantly correlated with blood-retinal-barrier permeability and perfusion on intravenous fluorescein angiography in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to understand the relationship between adaptive optics imaging and intravenous fluorescein angiography parameters in diverse patient populations. Purpose:To our knowledge, we present the first case series investigating the relationship between adaptive optics (AO) imaging and intravenous fluorescein angiography (IVFA) parameters in patients with diabetic retinopathy.Methods:Consecutive patients with diabetic retinopathy older than age 18 years presenting to a single center in Toronto, Canada, from 2020 to 2021 were recruited. Adaptive optics was performed with the RTX1 camera (Imagine Eyes, Orsay, France) at retinal eccentricities of 2 degrees and 4 degrees. Intravenous fluorescein angiography was assessed with the artificial intelligence-based RETICAD system to extract blood flow, perfusion, and blood-retinal-barrier (BRB) permeability at the same retinal locations. Correlations between AO and IVFA parameters were calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient.Results:Across nine cases, a significant positive correlation existed between photoreceptor spacing on AO and BRB permeability (r = 0.303, P = 0.027), as well as perfusion (r = 0.272, P = 0.049) on IVFA. When stratified by location, a significant positive correlation between photoreceptor dispersion and both BRB permeability and perfusion (r = 0.770, P = 0.043; r = 0.846, P = 0.034, respectively) was observed. Cone density was also negatively correlated with BRB permeability (r = -0.819, P = 0.046).Conclusion:Photoreceptor spacing on AO was significantly correlated with BRB permeability and perfusion on IVFA in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to understand the relationship between AO and IVFA parameters in diverse patient populations.