Radiation therapy for small choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of radiation therapy on age-related macular degeneration with subfoveal or juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization < or =1 disc area.


METHODS
Fourteen patients (14 eyes) received a total radiation dose of 10-20 Gy in 5-10 fractions. The mean follow-up time was 22 months. Ten patients (10 eyes) in a control group were followed up for an average of 16 months without treatment.


RESULTS
At a 12-month posttreatment examination, funduscopic and angiographic findings showed improvement in 7 eyes (50%), no change in 1 eye (7%), and deterioration in 6 eyes (43%) among the treated patients. The same findings demonstrated improvement in 1 eye (10%), no change in 2 eyes (20%), and deterioration in 7 eyes (70%) among the control patients. This difference was determined to be statistically significant between the two groups by the Mann-Whitney U-test. Visual acuity had improved in 4 eyes (29%), was unchanged in 6 eyes (43%), and had declined in 4 eyes (29%), among the treated patients. Among the control patients, visual acuity had improved in none of the eyes (0%), was unchanged in 6 eyes (60%), and had declined in 4 eyes (40%). The difference in visual acuity between the two groups was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiation therapy inhibited small choroidal neovascularization, as seen by funduscopy and angiography, but its effectiveness in improving visual prognosis was not always evident.
Matsuhashi
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Noda
Y
Y
Takahashi
D
D
Mariya
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014792:Visual Acuity
D007208:Indocyanine Green