Detection of choroidal neovascularization by subtraction indocyanine green angiography.
BACKGROUND
Indocyanine green (ICG) angiography is considered to be an effective clinical tool to detect choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration. However, CNV detection by angiography becomes difficult when a thick hemorrhagic lesion exists.


METHODS
CNV was analyzed in 20 eyes (20 patients) showing age-related macular degeneration and accompanying subretinal hemorrhage using the subtraction method of ICG angiography.


RESULTS
Subtraction ICG angiography revealed hyperfluorescent areas determined as dye leakage from CNV in all 20 cases. In 6 of the 20 cases, ill-defined fluorescence-increasing areas were observed which expanded during continuing angiography. On the other hand, the remaining 7 cases showed well-defined fluorescence-increasing areas which did not expand over time.


CONCLUSIONS
The subtraction method is an effective clinical tool to detect CNV concomitant with subretinal hemorrhage. Moreover, this method provides information to elucidate an increasing pattern of fluorescence surrounding CNV.
Matsumoto
Muneaki
M
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
Shiraki
Kunihiko
K
Obana
Akira
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D002832:Choroid Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green