BASELINE SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHIC RETINAL LAYER FEATURES IDENTIFIED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PREDICT THE COURSE OF CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY

Abstract

Purpose: To identify optical coherence tomography (OCT) features to predict the course of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) with an artificial intelligence–based program. Methods: Multicenter, observational study with a retrospective design. Treatment-naïve patients with acute CSC and chronic CSC were enrolled. Baseline OCTs were examined by an artificial intelligence–developed platform (Discovery OCT Fluid and Biomarker Detector, RetinAI AG, Switzerland). Through this platform, automated retinal layer thicknesses and volumes, including intaretinal and subretinal fluid, and pigment epithelium detachment were measured. Baseline OCT features were compared between acute CSC and chronic CSC patients. Results: One hundred and sixty eyes of 144 patients with CSC were enrolled, of which 100 had chronic CSC and 60 acute CSC. Retinal layer analysis of baseline OCT scans showed that the inner nuclear layer, the outer nuclear layer, and the photoreceptor–retinal pigmented epithelium complex were significantly thicker at baseline in eyes with acute CSC in comparison with those with chronic CSC (P < 0.001). Similarly, choriocapillaris and choroidal stroma and retinal thickness (RT) were thicker in acute CSC than chronic CSC eyes (P = 0.001). Volume analysis revealed average greater subretinal fluid volumes in the acute CSC group in comparison with chronic CSC (P = 0.041). Conclusion: Optical coherence tomography features may be helpful to predict the clinical course of CSC. The baseline presence of an increased thickness in the outer retinal layers, choriocapillaris and choroidal stroma, and subretinal fluid volume seems to be associated with acute course of the disease.