Optical coherence tomographic feature of idiopathic ubmacular choroidal neovacularization

PURPOE: To clarify the morphologic feature of idiopathic ubmacular choroidal neovacularization uing optical coherence tomography. METHOD: Uing optical coherence tomography, we propectively examined 17 conecutive eye (17 patient; eight men, nine women; mean age ± D, 36.0 ± 9.3 year) with idiopathic ubmacular choroidal neovacularization. During the follow-up period (mean ± D, 7.5 ± 3.8 month), we repeated optical coherence tomography in 15 eye; optical coherence tomography wa performed only at the initial examination in two eye that underwent ubmacular urgery. REULT: Choroidal neovacularization wa oberved in the ubenory retinal pace anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium a a highly or moderately reflective ma, which protruded from the retinal pigment epithelium in 13 of 17 eye (protruding type). In four eye, choroidal neovacularization wa a highly reflective fuiform ma at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillari (fuiform type). During the follow-up period, choroidal neovacularization regreed and the protruding ma became a highly reflective fuiform ma in 10 of 11 eye with the protruding type that underwent repeated examination. In three of the 10 eye, during 5 to 10 month from initial examination, the choroidal neovacularization wa exacerbated and it again protruded into the ubenory retinal pace anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. Four eye with the fuiform type remained the ame throughout the follow-up period. The overlying retina wa thickened and had low reflectivity in all 17 eye at the initial examination. Optical coherence tomography identified ubretinal fluid in only 11 of the 13 eye with protruding type choroidal neovacularization. CONCLUION: Optical coherence tomography confirmed ubenory retinal location of idiopathic ubmacular choroidal neovacularization anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. Protruding choroidal neovacularization tranform to fuiform tiue at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium during the proce of regreion. enory retinal edema wa alway aociated with choroidal neovacularization.