title: Low-cost portable fluorescein angiography.
abstract: Fundus fluorescein angiography has great potential as a unique non-invasive tool to investigate in vivo the microvascular pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases affecting the central nervous system. However, because it requires a bulky and expensive tabletop retinal camera, it is normally limited to cooperative and alert seated patients in well-resourced settings. Recently completed and ongoing studies of the pathogenesis of severe malaria are using fluorescein angiography to examine in detail the postulated central role of microvascular obstruction. We describe a novel method of fluorescein angiography with a portable retinal camera that can be adapted at very low cost for use in sick patients at the bedside. This method greatly expands the scope of potential studies utilising fluorescein angiography.
authors.affiliation: Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Rajthevee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. richardmaude@gmail.com
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Maude
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Plewes
authors.forename: Joss
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimock
authors.forename: Arjen M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dondorp
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004867:Equipment Design; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*