Indocyanine green angiography and choroidal neovascularization obscured by hemorrhage.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the use of indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in detecting choroidal neovascularization obscured by hemorrhage. STUDY/DESIGN: Indocyanine green angiography was performed on 20 consecutive patients who were suspected to have choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVs) that were obscured by subretinal or intraretinal hemorrhage on fluorescein angiography. The etiology of choroidal neovascularization was age-related macular degeneration.


RESULTS
In all patients, ICG angiography was able to detect some choroidal neovascularization. The entire extent of the CNV was identified in 12 (60%) of these patients after ICG angiography was performed. In the remaining eight eyes (40%), the CNV still was obscured partially by a thick layer of hemorrhage. Difficulty in detection was due to thick subretinal hemorrhage, lipid exudate, and pigment.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that ICG angiography is superior to fluorescein angiography in showing the presence and extent of CNVs associated with age-related macular degeneration that are almost entirely obscured by hemorrhage.
Reichel
E
E
New England Eye Center, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, USA.
Duker
J S
JS
Puliafito
C A
CA
D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green