Radiation therapy for age-related subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes. A pilot study.
In this pilot study the effect of radiation therapy on subfoveal CNV membranes associated with age-related macular degeneration was evaluated. Four groups of 10 patients were treated with external beam radiotherapy (16 MV photons) on an area of 1 cm2 (macular region) using a lens-sparing technique and total dose of 8 to 24 Gy. The first group received 8 Gy in a single fraction. In this group only 30% had a stable visual acuity and a stable FA after 18 months follow-up. In 50% of patients in group 2 (12 Gy) and 40% of patients in group 3 (18 Gy) the visual acuity and FA appearance remained stable after 18 months of follow-up. In the last group (24 Gy) 80% of patients had a stable visual acuity and FA appearance after 12 months follow-up. Comparison of these findings with the natural history data of subfoveal age-related CNV, suggests a beneficial effect of radiation therapy with a total dose of 12 Gy or more on the progression of CNV membranes.
Institute of Ophthalmology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
G J
GJ
Bergink
A F
AF
Deutman
J E
JE
van den Broek
W A
WA
van Daal
R M
RM
van der Maazen
D000368:Aged; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014792:Visual Acuity