[Fundus autofluorescence in patients with hereditary macular dystrophies, malattia leventinese, familial dominant and aged-related drusen].
OBJECTIVE
The lack of histopathological material has placed limitation on our knowledge on the composition of focal deposits in eyes with macular dystrophies, malattia leventinese, dominant drusen and age related macular degeneration. This study was designed to study the composition of focal deposits in these eyes by documenting fundus autofluorescence in vivo.


METHODS
Fundus autofluorescence was documented in 343 eyes of 199 subjects with macular dystrophies, malattia leventinese, dominant drusen and age-related macular degeneration using a laser scanning ophthalmoscope (Zeiss, Oberkochen; excitation wavelength: 488 nm, barrier filter at 521 nm).


RESULTS
Autofluorescence of focal deposits was increased in eyes with macular dystrophies. In eyes with malattia leventinese and dominant drusen autofluorescence intensity of focal deposits showed a wide spectrum. In contrast, autofluorescence of age-related drusen was within normal limits. Background autofluorescence intensity was increased in eyes with macular dystrophies and within normal limits in eyes with malattia leventinese, dominant drusen and age-related drusen.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique of in-vivo recording of fundus autofluorescence allows the differential diagnosis between macular dystrophies/malattia leventinese, dominant drusen/age related drusen when otherwise not possible.
Univ.-Augenklinik, Giessen.
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A
von Rückmann
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Schmidt
F W
FW
Fitzke
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Bird
K W
KW
Jacobi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D015594:Optic Disk Drusen / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D012984:Software
D008062:Lipofuscin
Fundus-Autofluoreszenz bei Patienten mit vererbten Makuladystrophien, Malattia leventinese, familiär dominanten und altersbedingten Drusen.