Optical coherent tomography capabilities in the diagnosis of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system

• Published in: Annaly kliničeskoj i èksperimentalʹnoj nevrologii (Online) Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 69 - 74
• Main Authors: Natalia V. Polekhina, Zoya V. Surnina, Maria N. Zakharova
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Research Center of Neurology 01-10-2018
• Subjects: multiple sclerosis; neurodegeneration; optical coherence tomography; opticomelitis; opticomielitis-associated disorders
• ISSN: 2075-5473; 2409-2533
• DOI: 10.25692/ACEN.2018.3.9

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive technique routinely used for obtaining in vivo transverse images of tissues. In the field of neurology, OCT is used to assess retinal changes in various diseases, including multiple sclerosis, opticomyelitis, and opticomyelitis-associated disorders. In these demyelinating diseases, the pathological process involves not only the optic nerve itself, but also the retinal ganglion cells and their axons, the so-called retinal ganglionic complex, as well as the retinal nerve fiber layer. In the last decade, OCT as the method capable of assessing changes in the above-mentioned retinal layers has been applied as a highly sensitive technology for estimation of neurodegenerative process. The article discusses the possible use of OCT for differential diagnosis of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, as well as its application as a method for monitoring involvement of the nervous tissue in demyelinating diseases.