Abnormality of retinal arterial velocity profiles using Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography in a case of Takayasu's arteritis with aortic regurgitation

Purpose To evaluate the retinal microcirculation using a segmental-scanning Doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) flowmeter in a patient with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) with aortic valve regurgitation (AR). Observations We measured the retinal blood velocity (V), retinal blood flow (RBF), and retinal blood velocity profiles (RBVP) of the major retinal arterioles using a DOCT flowmeter. The arteries were measured at the straight portion 1 disc diameter from the optic disc. Horizontal velocity profiles were extracted to evaluate the RBVP during one cardiac cycle. A patient with TA with stage 2 Takayasu retinopathy (TR) and AR, had normal RBF and V, and the RBVP had a parabolic pattern in the systolic phase. However, the V was very slow and the RBVP had an abnormal pattern in the diastolic phase. Conclusions and importance The current study showed for the first time that segmental-scanning DOCT flowmeter enables evaluation of an abnormal flow pattern of the RVBP in the retinal arterioles in a patient with TA and AR. Measurement of the retinal arterial blood flow may detect aortic valve dysfunction and shed light on the pathogenesis of TR.