Ultrasound-based quantification of vitreous floaters correlates with XXXX and quality of life.

@entity1 @entity8 @entity2451 @entity227
PURPOSE: Clinical evaluation of floaters lacks quantitative assessment of vitreous structure. This study used quantitative ultrasound (QUS) to measure vitreous opacities. Since floaters reduce @entity8 ( @entity8 ) and quality of life ( @entity227 [ @entity227 ]), it is hypothesized that QUS will correlate with @entity8 and @entity227 in @entity1 with floaters. METHODS: Twenty-two eyes (22 subjects; age = 57    19 years) with floaters were evaluated with Freiburg acuity contrast testing (FrACT; %Weber) and @entity227 . Ultrasonography used a customized probe (15-MHz center frequency, 20-mm focal length, 7-mm aperture) with longitudinal and transverse scans taken in primary gaze and a horizontal longitudinal scan through premacular vitreous in temporal gaze. Each scan set had 100 frames of log-compressed envelope data. Within each frame, two regions of interest (ROIs) were analyzed (whole-central and posterior vitreous) to yield three parameters (energy, E; mean amplitude, M; and percentage of vitreous filled by echodensities, @entity2451 ) averaged over the entire 100-frame dataset. Statistical analyses evaluated E, M, and @entity2451 correlations with @entity8 and @entity227 . RESULTS: Contrast sensitivity ranged from 1.19%W (normal) to 5.59%W. All QUS parameters in two scan positions within the whole-central ROI correlated with @entity8 (R > 0.67, P < 0.001). @entity2451 in the nasal longitudinal position had R = 0.867 (P < 0.001). Correlations with @entity227 ranged from R = 0.52 (P < 0.013) to R = 0.65 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative ultrasound provides quantitative measures of vitreous echodensity that correlate with @entity8 and @entity227 , providing objective assessment of vitreous structure underlying the functional disturbances induced by floaters, useful to quantify vitreous disease severity and the response to therapy.
