Abstract
Purpose :
QAF is a relatively new imaging modality (PMID: 22016060) which uses an internal reference to compare fundus autofluorescence (AF) intensities between subjects and in longitudinal follow-up settings. Only few data exist on AF in the young eye. Here, QAF of children and young adolescent in a large cohort are reported.
Methods :
After written consent, 50 healthy children (5-17 years, Caucasians, clear media) underwent multimodal imaging (infrared, AF (488, 787nm), QAF (488nm) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)) using Spectralis/modified HRA2 (Heidelberg Engineering). Custom written FIJI plugins enabled: 1. determination of the fovea in SD-OCT/infrared images, 2. alignment and superimposition of multimodal retina images based on foveal position, 3. post-QAF-acquisition adjustments to the internal reference and the age-related optical media density, and 4. building of standard QAF retina maps (QAF intensities for each pixel at a certain distance and direction from the fovea) for two age groups (5-10, 11-17 years). Also, mean QAF8 values ±standard deviation (PMID: 23860757) are reported.
Results :
50 subjects (24 (5-10 yrs), 26 (11-17 yrs)) were multimodally imaged and all images were matched on foveal position. Interestingly, highest QAF-values are found at the perifovea with maxima at the temporal-superior regions, even in the youngest subjects examined (5 yrs, figure). With further development, there is an increase of QAF intensities throughout the posterior pole with a significant increase in mean QAF8 between first and second decade (mean QAF8 (5-10 yrs): 89.1 ±23.0; (11-17 yrs): 125.3 ±24.5, arbitrary units; p<0.001). However, the QAF values at the fovea remain low.
Conclusions :
This is the largest report on QAF in the maturing eye so far. Of interest, as in adults, the typical AF pattern of highest QAF values temporal-superior to the fovea (PMID: 669891, 25034602) is visible very early in life, which might reflect so far unknown metabolic processes in the rod-rich region. The standard retinas are pre-requisite to distinguish pathological AF signals in diseased eyes, currently evaluated in ongoing studies.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.