{
  "abstract": "Objectives: To evaluate whether the corneal densitometry graph can visualise the demarcation line (DL) and measure its depth early after corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL). Methods: A total of 53 eyes of 53 patients with progressive keratoconus underwent accelerated CXL. Visual acuity and corneal topography were measured preoperatively and at 1 month. The apex of the cross-linking reaction (CLR) peak on corneal densitometry graph was compared with the DL depth on anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT); the reaction-initiating and reaction-ending depths were compared with those on in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the linear association between the densitometry-derived depths and the reference measurements. Agreement was evaluated with Bland–Altman analysis together with an absolute-agreement intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and changes were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. Results: At 1 month postoperatively, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) did not change significantly (p = 0.851), whereas CDVA improved slightly (p = 0.022). Corneal densitometry increased in the central region (0–2, 2–6, 6–10 mm) (p < 0.001). Corneal densitometry increased significantly in the central region (0–2, 2–6 and 6–10 mm annuli; total layer, all p ≤ 0.001) but not in the 10–12 mm annulus (p = 0.827). Correlation analysis showed a strong association with AS-OCT and IVCM (r = 0.82–0.88, p < 0.001). Agreement with AS-OCT and IVCM was good at the group level (ICC(2,1), 0.82–0.87), although all 95% limits of agreement exceeded the ±5% limit. A CLR peak was identified in all 53/53 eyes versus 50/53 eyes on AS-OCT, but the detection rates did not differ significantly (McNemar exact test, p = 0.25). Conclusions: The corneal densitometry graph provides an initial, non-contact evaluation of the depth and extent of the early cross-linking reaction, with good group-level agreement with AS-OCT and IVCM.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Ophthalmology and Research Laboratory of Macular Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China",
    "Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China",
    "Department of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha 410005, China"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yanyan Fu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jinwen Fu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yewei Yin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xi Huang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Aiqun Xiang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Meixia Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2633-6819"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d6aqt2cfc3gmc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/jcm15218214",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "d6aqt2cfc3gmc",
  "issns": [
    "2077-0383"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8214",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2741|Corneal surgery and disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223283742",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d6aqt2cfc3gmc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/jcm15218214",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8214"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2741|Corneal surgery and disorders",
      "subfield": "imaging"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A New Method for Demarcation Line Evaluation: The Corneal Densitometry Graph",
  "title_text": "A New Method for Demarcation Line Evaluation: The Corneal Densitometry Graph",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d6aqt2cfc3gmc",
  "venue": "Journal of Clinical Medicine",
  "versions": []
}