Optical coherence tomography is fast, non-invasive and reproducible imaging technique that provides detailed measurements of retinal structures. Retinal pathology in multiple sclerosis (MS) includes consequences of optic neuritis as well as diffuse degenerative changes.
Thinning of retinal nerve fiber layer, decrease in total macular volume and loss of retinal ganglion cell layer correlate with visual acuity, brain atrophy measures and cognitive changes. Anterior visual pathway became a model of neuroaxonal injury in MS and is used to test neuroprotective effects of new therapies.
The paper provides an overview of the physics of optical coherence tomography and its application in MS.