This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (9)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Choroidal Neovascularization  • Macular Degeneration  • Retinal/ Chorioretinal Disorders  • Ocular Imaging  • Alert me on articles by topic

Samantha S. Dandekar, MRCOphth; Sharon A. Jenkins, MSc; Tunde Peto, PhD; Hendrik P. N. Scholl, MD, MA; Kulwant S. Sehmi, FRPS; Fred W. Fitzke, PhD; Alan C. Bird, MD; Andrew R. Webster, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2005;123:1507-1513.

Objective  To describe the autofluorescence (AF) characteristics of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Methods  Autofluorescence images of 65 consecutive eyes with CNV at various stages of evolution were analyzed. Twenty images were of recent-onset CNV (group 1), 8 were of eyes 1 to 6 months after CNV diagnosis (group 2), and 37 were late-stage CNV (group 3). Autofluorescence images from groups 1 and 2 were compared with fundus fluorescein angiographic images.

Results  Group 1 showed areas of hyperfluorescence on fundus fluorescein angiography corresponding to areas of normal AF in 16 of 20 cases, with adjacent areas of increased AF in 13 cases. The main areas of abnormal AF were larger than the main areas of abnormal fluorescence on fundus fluorescein angiography in 18 of the 20 cases. Groups 2 and 3 showed areas of decreased AF corresponding to areas of previous leakage on fundus fluorescein angiography (in group 2) or atrophy.

Conclusions  Preserved AF in group 1 indicates viable retinal pigment epithelium initially, which has implications for visual prognosis. Decreased AF in groups 2 and 3 indicates loss of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors. Autofluorescence imaging may increase our understanding of CNV in age-related macular degeneration.

Author Affiliations: Moorfields Eye Hospital (Drs Dandekar, Peto, Scholl, Sehmi, Bird, and Webster) and Institute of Ophthalmology (Drs Dandekar, Scholl, Fitzke, Bird, and Webster and Ms Jenkins), London, England; and Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuroophthalmology, University Eye Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (Dr Scholl).

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Abnormal fundus autofluorescence patterns in myopic choroidal neovascularisation
Sawa et al.
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2008;92:1236-1240.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

SOD2 Knockdown Mouse Model of Early AMD
Justilien et al.
IOVS 2007;48:4407-4420.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Fundus autofluorescence in exudative age-related macular degeneration
McBain et al.
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2007;91:491-496.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT