The OCT angular sign of Henle fiber layer (HFL) hyperreflectivity (ASHH) and the pathoanatomy of the HFL in macular disease

Abstract

The Henle fiber layer (HFL) is comprised of bundles of unmyelinated photoreceptor axons intermingled with outer Müller cell processes. The photoreceptor axons extend from the cell bodies located in the outer nuclear layer and radially project toward the outer plexiform layer, the inner third of which includes the synaptic junctional complexes and the outer two-thirds of which includes the HFL. The oblique path of the HFL provides unique structural and reflectance properties and this radial anatomy is highlighted in many macular disorders including those with macular star exudation and HFL hemorrhage. Recent investigations using multimodal imaging techniques, especially cross sectional and en face optical coherence tomography (OCT), have provided new perspectives regarding HFL disruption in retinal diseases. The aim of this review is to highlight the pathoanatomy and multimodal imaging, especially OCT, associated with HFL disruption that is present in various macular diseases. After describing the current knowledge of the embryology, anatomy, and physiology of the HFL, we review the existing imaging modalities that allow in vivo visualization of the HFL in the healthy and diseased retina. Finally, we report the clinical and imaging findings of acute HFL alteration in various macular disorders, including degenerative, inflammatory, and vascular conditions. Also, we propose a novel and signature OCT biomarker indicative of acute photoreceptor disruption involving the HFL, termed the “angular sign of HFL hyperreflectivity” (ASHH) of macular disease, to unify the pathoanatomy common to these various macular disorders and to provide clarity regarding the underlying pathogenesis.