Table 2. Summary of reports on IVCM analysis of limbus in healthy subjects and LSCD patients.
| Reference | IVCM used | No. eyes(subjects) | Major Finding | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy | LSCD | Limbal Epithelium | Limbal Stroma | ||
| Kobayashi & Sugiyama (2005)4 | ConfoScan 2 | 4 (2) | - | Basal cells in POV significantly smaller than those of central cornea. | Spatter-like pattern, dark striae like structures in mid stroma. |
| Patel et al., (2006)5 | HRT II RCM | 50 (50) | - | Significant decrease in the limbal basal epithelial cell density with age. | - |
| Zheng & Xu (2008)18 | ConfoScan 3 | 160 (160) | - | Number of POV declined with age; age-related increase in size of limbal basal epithelial cells; Stromal cords in between basal epithelium of POV. | - |
| Zarei-Ghanavati et al., (2011)7 | HRT III RCM | 2 (2) | 2(2) | Lacuna-like structures with tightly packed limbal epithelial cells extending into stroma are lost in LSCD condition. Stromal cords in between basal epithelium of POV. |
- |
| Deng et al., (2012)8 | HRT III RCM | 12 (10) | 27 (20) | In LSCD, the basal epithelial cells become metaplastic; decrease in basal epithelial density. | - |
| Miri et al., (2012)6 | HRT II RCM | 46(29) | - | Epithelial cells in the limbal epithelial crypts significantly smaller and extend into the stroma at the conjunctival end of POV. Stromal cords in between basal epithelium of POV. |
|
| Miri et al., (2012)2 | HRT II RCM | - | 23 (17) | In LSCD, loss of limbal palisade architecture with cellular cystic changes and sub-epithelial fibrosis. | - |
| Nubile et al., (2013)3 | HRT II RCM | 10 (10) | 20 (17) | Demonstrated variable degree of alterations in LSCD – loss of POV, cystic epithelial changes and sub epithelial fibrosis; IVCM has high degree of concordance with impression cytology. | - |
| Current Study | HRT III RCM | 30 (17) | - | Limbal basal epithelial cells smaller than those of central cornea. Depth at which various layers occur are indicated. | Unique clusters of hyper-reflective structures subjacent to limbal basal epithelium that formed a complete network deep in the anterior stroma; surrounding blood vessels. Such structures were absent in corneal stroma. |
ConfoScan 2/3, Nidek Technologies, Vigonza, Italy; HRT II/III RCM - Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II/III Rostock Corneal Module (Heidelberg EngineeringGmBH, Dossenheim, Germany); LSCD-Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency; POV – Palisades of Vogt