Abstract
Purpose: :
The PHP study has previously demonstrated that the PreView PHP could detect recent–onset CNV and differentiate it from intermediate AMD with good sensitivity and specificity (82% and 88%, respectively), and may be used in monitoring intermediate AMD patients for the development of CNV. As means to assess the sensitivity of biomicroscopy in detecting CNV, color stereo photographs of study participants were graded by the retina specialists who participated in the study. The aim of this sub–analysis was to assess the sensitivity of the PHP and retina specialist grading of stereo color photographs to detect CNV based on lesion size, location and patient’s visual acuity (VA).
Methods: :
Of the 122 study participants, 65 were graded by the reading center as having CNV based on stereo color photographs and fluorescein angiograms. Criteria for sub–analysis were VA equal or better than 20/40, lesion size (equal or smaller than 2DA or 4DA) and non–foveal versus foveal location.
Results: :
Of the subjects who had VA equal or better than 20/40, the PHP was able to detect 12 out of the 20 patients (sensitivity of 60%) and retina specialist grading were able to detect 10 out of 19 patients (sensitivity of 52.6%). Among the 27 patients with lesion size equal or smaller than 2DA, the sensitivity of the PHP was 81% versus a sensitivity of 59% for retina specialist grading. Among the 44 patients with lesion size equal or smaller than 4DA, the sensitivity of the PHP was 77% versus a sensitivity of 64% for retina specialist grading and among the 16 patient with non–foveal CNV, the PHP had a sensitivity of 81% versus a sensitivity of 62% for retina specialist grading. Thirteen patient were found to have VA equal or better than 20/80, lesion size equal or smaller than 4DA and non–foveal location. Among this group the PHP had a sensitivity of 85% versus a sensitivity of 54% for retinal specialist grading.
Conclusions: :
These results demonstrate that the PHP is at least as good as retina specialists grading of stereo color photographs in detecting early onset CNV and in particular when the CNV is small, non–foveal and associated with relatively good VA.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • choroid: neovascularization