Morphological Difference of Choroidal Vasculature Between Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy and Neovascular AMD on OCT: From the Perspective of Pachychoroid.

Abstract

To investigate the morphological difference of choroidal vasculature between polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) on optical coherence tomography (OCT). One hundred eighty-nine patients with macula-involved PCV (n = 107) or nAMD (n = 82) were retrospectively reviewed. The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and thickness of the Haller's layer were determined on enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). The mean diameters of subfoveal large choroidal vessels were also calculated. Both the SFCT (257.31 μm ± 100.50 μm vs. 209.95 μm ± 97.51 μm) (P < .01) and the thickness of the Haller's layer (213.68 μm ± 82.65 μm vs. 159.67 μm ± 79.86 μm) (P < .01) were greater in PCV patients than nAMD patients. The ratio of thickness of the Haller's layer to the SFCT was higher in the PCV group (0.83 ± 0.07) than the nAMD group (0.7 5± 0.11) (P < .01). The mean diameter of subfoveal large choroidal vessels was greater in PCV patients (163.55 μm ± 62.23 μm vs. 112.81 ± 58.87 μm) (P < .01). Choroidal thickening and dilation of large choroidal vessels were commonly seen in PCV patients, supporting that PCV belongs to the pachychoroid spectrum disorders and might be a different entity from nAMD. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:e114-e121.].