En face swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography choroidal vasculography (CVG) a tool to discriminate choroidal abnormalities in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

Expert Rev Med Devices. 2021 Sep;18(9):903-908. doi: 10.1080/17434440.2021.1963230. Epub 2021 Aug 9.

Abstract

Background: Swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCT-A) choroidal vasculography (CVG) is an imaging method which allows the evaluation of deep choroid details, being a promising too in choroidal pathologies as polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Research design and methods: Cross-sectional study performed at FOSCAL International Clinic in Colombia. CVG features in patients with PCV were evaluated using SS-OCT CVG.

Results: Twenty-two eyes of 21 patients were included. The mean age was 72.7 ± 6.5 years old (range: 48.6-95.4 years old). Twelve (57.1%) patients were male. The mean number of polyps detected by SS-OCT-A CVG before treatment with anti-VEGF therapy was 2.04 ± 1.18, which decreased after treatment to 1.18 ± 0.71. This result was statistically significant (p < 0.05). All polypoidal lesions detected by B-scan were visualized using CVG. Polyp circularity and surrounding reflectivity indicated activity of disease.

Conclusion: En face SS-OCT-A CVG is an alternative tool to evaluate choroidal structure at different depths without a contrast dye, providing information for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with PCV. This imaging modality do not pretend to replace gold standard tests in PCV as ICGA, but rather provides choroidal imaging features of PCV, when ICGA is not available.

Keywords: Choroid; macular degeneration; optical coherence tomography; polyps; vasculography.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Choroid / diagnostic imaging
  • Choroidal Neovascularization* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence*