A combination of topographic and pachymetric parameters in keratoconus diagnosis

PurposeTo evaluate the utility of topographic and pachymetric parameters of Scheimpflug system in keratoconus diagnosis.MethodsThis study included 183 eyes of 183 patients with keratoconus (keratoconus group) and 131 eyes of 131 age and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group). Mean keratometry (K, front), topographic astigmatism, pupil-center pachymetry, apical pachymetry, thinnest pachymetry (TP), corneal volume and maximum K (Kmax) were obtained from the Scheimpflug imaging system. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed and area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to determine the diagnostic ability of each parameter in eyes with ≤ stage 3, ≤ stage 2 and stage 1 keratoconus based on the Amsler–Krumeich grading system.ResultsThe Kmax and TP showed the highest individual performance (with sensitivity–specificity of 92.9–92.4% and 89.6–93.3%, respectively) in diagnosis of keratoconus. The AUCs and sensitivity–specificity values for the Kmax/TP and Kmax2/TP were calculated to improve the diagnostic performance. As expected, sensitivity–specificity values significantly increased by using Kmax/TP (97.3–94.7% at the level ≥0.08) and Kmax2/TP (99.5–95.7% at the level ≥4.1) in discrimination of keratoconic eyes from normals. Moreover, Kmax2/TP had very high sensitivity (>99%) and specificity (>94%) in diagnosis of stage 1 and stage 2 keratoconus.ConclusionsAlthough Kmax and TP appear to have high diagnostic ability in keratoconus, the use of either single parameter in isolation might be unsatisfactory in differential diagnosis. Therefore, the Kmax2/TP ratio has been introduced, which reflects major characteristics of keratoconus and might be used as an important criterion in keratoconus diagnosis.