title: Vascular abnormalities in aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity detected by fluorescein angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate fluorescein angiography (FA) in eyes with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, nonrandomized case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients (6 eyes) with AP-ROP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients (6 eyes) diagnosed with AP-ROP during ROP screening between July 2007 and July 2008 were included in this study. Fundus photographs and FA were obtained before and after laser and surgical treatment using a wide-field digital pediatric imaging system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluorescein angiography and fundus photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the initial stage of AP-ROP, FA showed vascular abnormalities, including capillary nonperfusion throughout the vascularized retina, shunting in the vascularized retina, a circumferential demarcation line, and limited vessel development, which was difficult to identify only by ophthalmoscopy. After treatment, FA showed poorly developed retinal vessels, including 4 small major vessels without an arcade pattern, small macular vessels, an inhomogeneous capillary bed, and absence of a capillary-free zone in the fovea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capillary bed loss throughout the vascularized posterior retina is characteristic of AP-ROP and may exacerbate retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Miina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiraoka
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Tae
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishina
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azuma
mesh_terms: D002199:Capillary Permeability; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D007052:Ibuprofen