Choroidal vascularity map in unilateral central serous chorioretinopathy : A comparison with fellow eyes

Abstract

Purpose : To map the choroidal vascularity index and compare two eyes in patients with unilateral central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).

Methods : This was a retrospective, observational study performed in patients with unilateral CSCR. Choroidal thickness (CT) and Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were measured and mapped in various zones according to the early treatment diabetic retinopathy (ETDRS) grid. The choroidal characteristics in each zone were compared with each other and also with the fellow eyes.

Results : A total of 20 CSCR patients (20 study and 20 fellow eyes) were included in the study. On repeated measures analysis of variance, outer nasal region CT was seen to be significantly lower than central CT (p=0.042) and inner nasal CT (p=0.007); outer ring CT was significantly less than central (p=0.04) and inner ring (p=0.01) CT in CSCR eyes. In fellow eyes, outer nasal CT was significantly lower than inner nasal (p=0.02), inner temporal (p=0.02) and outer temporal CT (p=0.01); outer ring CT was found to be significantly lower than inner ring CT; and nasal quadrant CT was significantly lower than superior quadrant CT (p=0.01) and temporal quadrant CT (p=0.02). CVI values were not significantly different between the different zones (Figure 1). In CSCR eyes, a positive correlation was seen between CT and CVI values (r=0.58, p=0.1). There was a weak negative correlation between CT and CVI in fellow eyes (r=-0.183, p=0.64) (Figure 2-A). The correlations were not statistically significant. On potting all the CVI values against the corresponding CT values, a positive correlation was seen in CSCR eyes (r=0.54, p<0.01), while it was slightly weaker in fellow eyes (r=0.3, p<0.01) (Figure 2-B).

Conclusions : Correlation between CVI and CT was altered in CSCR eyes as compared to fellow eyes with increasing CVI towards the center of the macula and superiorly in CSCR eyes. This correlation could be used as a guide to detect sub-clinical activity, although future studies with higher sample size are required to validate the association.

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.

 

Figure 1: Chart showing comparison of choroidal thickness and choroidal vascularity index of CSCR and fellow eyes

 

Figur 2: Chart showing the correlation of choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness values in the two groups (A) Region-wise and (B) Overall