Which statement is true about the RPE layer on OCT?

Which statement is true about the RPE layer on OCT?

• A. The RPE layer is typically hyper reflective.
• B. The RPE layer is typically hypo reflective.
• C. The RPE layer cannot be seen on OCT.
• D. The RPE layer is always isoreflective.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the RPE appears as a bright, highly backscattering band on OCT. This strong reflectivity comes from the pigment-rich, densely organized cells of the RPE (melanin and related structures) that scatter the light effectively. You also get a subtle posterior shadow beneath this bright band because the pigment absorbs some of the light, reducing signal in the layers below. So the statement that the RPE layer is typically hyperreflective is the best fit because it matches what OCT routinely shows in healthy retina. The other statements don’t align with how OCT images the RPE: it is visible as the bright band, not invisible; it is not normally hypo reflective; and it isn’t consistently isoreflective (its reflectivity can vary with anatomy and disease, but the normal appearance is hyperreflective).

The key idea is that the RPE appears as a bright, highly backscattering band on OCT. This strong reflectivity comes from the pigment-rich, densely organized cells of the RPE (melanin and related structures) that scatter the light effectively. You also get a subtle posterior shadow beneath this bright band because the pigment absorbs some of the light, reducing signal in the layers below.

So the statement that the RPE layer is typically hyperreflective is the best fit because it matches what OCT routinely shows in healthy retina. The other statements don’t align with how OCT images the RPE: it is visible as the bright band, not invisible; it is not normally hypo reflective; and it isn’t consistently isoreflective (its reflectivity can vary with anatomy and disease, but the normal appearance is hyperreflective).