Noninvasive imaging of pulsatile movements of the optic nerve head in normal human subjects using phase-sensitive spectral domain optical coherence tomography

Abstract

We report use of high-speed spectral domain optical coherence tomography to noninvasively image pulsatile axial movement of the optic nerve head (ONH) in normal human subjects. Time-lapse B-scan mode is used to image the ONH at 500 frames per second. Capture of phase differences between adjacent B-scans permits extraction of axial ONH movement. We find the ONH experiences continuous oscillatory axial motion that is strongly correlated with simultaneously measured pulsatile blood flow in the central retinal artery.