Autofluorescence photography may supply more details in multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis cases

Autofluorescence photography demonstrates that patients with multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis may have much more extensive involvement of the retinal pigment epithelium than may be detected using other imaging platforms, a retrospective study by researchers in New York found.

"Autofluorescence photography supplies information about inflammatory damage and secondary CNV in a noninvasive manner," the study authors said.

Sebastian P. Haen, MD, and Richard F. Spaide, MD, evaluated fundus photographs, angiographic data and autofluorescence photography obtained for 36 eyes of 18 patients with multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis to determine abnormalities caused by the disease. Specifically, 23 of these 36 eyes had choroidal neovascularization.

Autofluorescence photography was obtained using an excitation filter with bandpass wavelengths between 535 nm and 585 nm and a barrier filter with a bandpass between 615 nm and 715 nm.

The duration of patients' symptoms averaged 86.2 months, and mean visual acuity averaged 20/50, the authors noted.

The investigators reported that chorioretinal hypoautofluorescent spots of 125 µm or more usually correlated with a "punched-out scar" made visible by color fundus photography. However, spots less than 125 µm were usually undetectable by color fundus photography.

All chorioretinal scars visible by color fundus photography were also visible in autofluorescence photographs.

During follow-up, many patients had developed new chorioretinal scars, the origins of which had been readily detected in prior autofluorescence photographs.

In addition, CNV had a visible hyperautofluorescent boundary, according to the study, published in the May issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology.