Tomographic features of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy lesions by spectral domain optical coherence tomography

Abstract

To analyze the tomographic features of branching vascular networks and polypoidal lesions in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). It was a retrospective case series study. Retrospective review of 63 eyes of 54 patients with PCV identified with indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Tomographic features of branching vascular networks and polypoidal lesions on SD OCT, ICGA and fluorescein angiography were analyzed. Both branching vascular network and polypoidal lesions were found in 45 eyes on ICGA, branching vascular network only was found in 8 eyes and polypoidal lesions only in 10 eyes. Retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) was found in all 53 eyes with branching vascular networks on SDOCT. Thirty-eight eyes had areas of moderate reflectivity of branching vascular network between the fluctuating retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch membrane. Fifteen eyes had moderate reflectivity of branching vascular network and/or hemorrhage between high doom-like RPED and incomplete Bruch membrane. Solitary polypoidal lesions in 28 patients showed local moderate reflectivity between the RPE and Bruch membrane on SDOCT. Other aggregate polypoidal lesions in 27 patients showed moderate reflectivity between high doom-like RPED and incomplete Bruch membrane. The vascular abnormalities of PCV identified with ICGA were visualized on SD-OCT images as areas of moderate reflectivity between RPE and Bruch membrane.