Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate whether the resolution of serous pigment epithelial detachments (PED) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) correlates with successful indocyanine green (ICG)–guided focal laser treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in exudative age–related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: The charts of all exudative AMD patients who were treated with thermal laser by one retina specialist from July 2003 through October 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Nineteen eyes of 18 patients with serous PEDs associated with the clinical appearance of RAP and one or more hot spots on ICG were identified. Nine eyes had OCT images before and after laser, and these images were examined for partial or complete resolution of the PED. Results: Complete resolution of the PED was documented by OCT in 4 of 9 eyes a mean of 2.6 months after one ICG–guided laser treatment. Two other eyes demonstrated a significant decrease in the PED height after laser, and these eyes were still being followed. None of these 6 eyes received more than one focal laser treatment. The mean PED height in these 6 eyes decreased by 262um +/–93um from an average height of 611um before laser to 350um 1– 6 months (median of 2 months) after laser. Three eyes did not respond to thermal laser, evidenced by failure of the PED to resolve. In all of these eyes, ICG angiography showed continued or increased hyperfluorescence of one or more hot spots. Conclusions: Successful closure of RAP lesions associated with serous PEDs in AMD correlates with resolution of the PED on OCT. OCT may be useful to help assess treatment response in this select group of patients, especially soon after laser treatment, when hot spots have been reported to persist on ICG angiography despite adequate treatment.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • laser