Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: Multifocal ERG (mfERG) using a CRT monitor has become a useful method in clinical routine as well as experimental research since its introduction. In contrast, fundus controlled mfERG has not been very widely performed. We wanted to compare results from both setups for normal volunteers as well as for patients with macular pathology. Methods: 10 eyes of healthy volunteers (VA ≷ 1.0) as well as 20 eyes of patients with macular pathology (e.g. macular degeneration, Stargardt's disease, cone-rod dystrophies, Retinitis pigmentosa) were examined using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope for fundus controlled mfERG (19 or 37 hexagons) as well as conventional mfERG using a RETIscan system with 61 or 103 hexagons. We compared the mfERG from both setups for the central 20 degrees. Results: There was good concordance of results for the healthy eyes for the ring analysis, although P1 amplitudes and curve-shapes varied between the two setups. While eyes with Retinitis pigmentosa in some cases did not show any sensible mfERG curves in the CRT setup, these could be obtained in three eyes using the SLO. Especially in eyes with cone-rod dystrophies and Stargardt's disease, fixation varied between central and supra-foveal loci between the patients. This could be observed exactly with the SLO setup only. Conclusion: The new fundus controlled mfERG setup using the SLO allows precise mfERG examination with the additional information of the area of fixation. While it can be very useful in smaller macular defects and in late-stage Retinitis pigmentosa, extensive central pathologies may not be observed due to the smaller area of stimulation.
Keywords: 395 electroretinography: clinical • 432 imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • 562 retinal degenerations: hereditary