Combined Optical Coherence Tomography and Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope Imaging in Multifocal Choroiditis

Abstract

Purpose: : To describe the findings in multifocal choroiditis using a combined optical coherence and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy system (OCT/ SLO).

Methods: : This study involved the retrospective review of OCT/SLO images of 15 patients seen at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary (New York) and the dept. of Ophthalmology of the Academic Medical Center (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) that were diagnosed with active or inactive multifocal choroiditis.

Results: : Clinically the patients had heterogeneous patterns of choroidal lesions in terms of appearance and size of the lesions. Tissue alterations not visualized or poorly visualized with other imaging techniques like fluorescein angiography or indocyanine angiography were seen in all patients. Findings in lesions in active disease (4/15 patients) included areas of serous separation of the outer retina, hyper–reflective changes in the outer retina and change in pattern reflectivity of the underlying choroid. Lesions in patients with inactive disease (11/15 patients) showed either changes in the outer retina, complete loss of retinal structure, RPE atrophy or RPE migration.

Conclusions: : OCT/SLO showed great variety in type of lesions in multifocal choroiditis with both involvement of the retina and RPE. OCT/SLO is a useful tool to provide additional information on the level and nature of lesions. Further studies are necessary to recognize pathologic patterns.

Keywords: imaging/image analysis: clinical • choroid • inflammation