J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1996 Jun;37(6):1012-1021.

Advantages of Indocyanine Green angiography over fluorescein angiography in Diagnosis of Choroidal neovascularization in Age-related Macular degeneration

• Park YJ
• Kim SH

Abstract

Choroidal neovascularization(CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration(AMD) occurs in the majority of patients with exudative maculopathy. Using an Indocyanine-green (ICG) angiography system, the authors obtained 24 ICG angiograms with CNV in AMD, and compared them with fluorescein angiograms. CNV was classic in 3 eyes(12.5%) and occult in 21 eyes(87.5%) on fluorescein angiography. The location of the CNV was extrafoveal in 12 eyes(50%), juxtafoveal in 6 eyes(25%) and subfoveal in 6 eyes(25%). Occult CNV was diagnosed in 21 eyes. Of these eyes, 8(38%) had solitary or multifocal hot spot by ICG angiography. Plaques were seen in 13(62%) of these eyes. Occult CNV with pigment epithelial detachment was diagnosed in 7 eyes. In 5 eyes, we were able to detect a well-defined CNV underlying a subretinal hemorrhage. Sixty-seven percentage of eyes with occult CNV could be reclassified as having well-delinated CNV by virtue of the additional findings provided by ICG angiography. But thirty-three percentage of eyes with occult CNV remained ill defined on the ICG angiography. ICG angiography is especially useful in delineating occult neovascularization, neovascularization with overlying subretinal hemorrhage or serosanguineous fluid, and neovasularization associated with pigment epithelial detachments. The results of this study suggest that ICG angiography is a safe test and an important test in evaluation, classification, and laser treatment of patients with occult CNV secondary to AMD.

Keyword

Age-related macular degeneration; Choroidal neovascularization; Indocyanine-green angiography; hot spot; plaque

MeSH Terms

Angiography*
Choroid*
Choroidal Neovascularization*
Classification
Diagnosis*
Fluorescein Angiography*
Fluorescein*
Hemorrhage
Humans
Indocyanine Green*
Macular Degeneration*
Virtues
Fluorescein
Indocyanine Green