title: Using optical coherence tomography to monitor photodynamic therapy in age related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in determining choroidal neovascularization (CNV) activity before and after photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional study. patient population: Fifty-three patients (62 eyes) with ARMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational case study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence or absence of leakage on fluorescein angiography, presence of intraretinal or sub-retinal fluid on OCT, and macular and choroidal neovascular complex thickness on OCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The macular thickness decreased significantly after PDT (P = .001). However, no significant changes in CNV thickness were measured after PDT (P = .567). Once the diagnosis of ARMD was established before treatment, OCT had a sensitivity of 96.77% for detecting CNV activity. After treatment, OCT had a good sensitivity (95.65%) and a moderate specificity (59.01%) in determining CNV activity, which resulted in a diagnostic efficiency (proportion of correct results) of 82.95%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT appears to be useful for indicating CNV activity. Therefore, it may serve as a complementary technique for deciding the need for PDT and re-treatment in patients with ARMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. asalinas@unav.es
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salinas-Alamán
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Layana
authors.forename: Miguel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sainz-Gómez
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvárez-Vidal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity