Analysis of OCTA Features of the Retina and DTI Features of the Visual Pathway in Patients with Pituitary Adenoma

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The objective of this research is to investigate the ocular neural pathway in individuals affected by pituitary adenoma (PA), by combining two distinct methods: diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). The relationship between retinal blood flow density and neural fiber conduction function in these patients is explored. Methods The case group comprised 24 individuals who had been recently identified and pathologically verified as suffering from PA. A control group was assembled, consisting of 24 subjects who were aligned with the case group in terms of age and gender. All participants underwent OCTA, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and DTI examinations. Differences in the optic disc, macular OCTA parameters, OCT parameters, and DTI parameters between the two groups were compared, and correlations between these parameters were discussed. Results DTI parameters: In the case group, the optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, and optic radiation showed a decline in their fractional anisotropy (FA) values when juxtaposed with the control group. Concurrently, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for the optic nerve and optic radiation escalated in comparison to the control group. Parameters of OCTA: In the region of the macula, the density of blood flow across all layers, barring the deep capillary plexus (DCP), was found to be lesser in the subject group when contrasted with the reference group. There was a notable decline in the blood flow density in the radial peripapillary capillaries plexus (RPCP) and the superficial vascular complex (SVC) as well when set against the reference group. Correlation: A statistically significant correlation existed between the blood flow density of all layers of the macular area and the DTI parameters of the optic radiation. Importantly, strong associations were found between the superficial vascular network (SVN) in the macular area and the ADC measurement of the optic nerve, the FA measurement of the optic tract, and the ADC measurement of the optic radiation. This suggests that these values might serve as biomarkers for assessing neural fiber conduction function in the visual pathway. Conclusion OCTA can assess retinal blood flow density in PA patients, while DTI quantifies neural fiber conduction function. The combination of these techniques offers a novel approach for studying visual pathway injury in PA.