Multi-imaging helps distinguish choroidal neovascularization types

Issue: January 2017

Using a variety of imaging techniques is very effective in differentiating between types of choroidal neovascularization in patients with age-related macular degeneration, according to a study.

The cross-sectional retrospective study examined images from 30 patients at Sacco Hospital’s Eye Clinic at the University of Milan, Italy. The imaging techniques included dynamic indocyanine green angiography, fluorescein angiography, spectral domain optical coherence tomography and near-infrared.

Each imaging technique focused on a characteristic closely associated with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), one type of neovascularization. SD-OCT was used to detect two of the characteristics.

The results showed shunting of blood flow was present in 56% of RAP cases and none of the other neovascularization types; late leakage occurred in all RAP cases and in 7% of other types; intraretinal cysts were seen in all RAP cases and in 14% of the others; retinal pigment epithelium interruption along the retinal pigment epithelium detachment was detected in 93% of the RAP cases and 15% of the others, and reticular pseudodrusen were found in 87% of RAP cases and 21% of the others.

“[T]he multi-imaging approach is of great help in allowing a better determination of lesion characteristics and the differential diagnosis among neovascularization types,” the authors wrote, adding that the “approach has important prognostic implications that could affect therapeutic results.” – by Joe Green

Disclosure : The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Ravera V, et al. Retina. 2016;doi:1097/IAE.0000000000001152.