Imaging in retina units: changes observed during the last 12 years.
OBJECTIVE
The last decade has seen many improvements in the imaging of the choroids, retina, and vitreous. However, there are no available data about changes in the practice of imaging in retina units. The present study was therefore undertaken to document the 12-year changes in this practice in retina units in France, particularly the relative changes in the distribution of the different imaging methods.


METHODS
This retrospective study was performed in 4 different retina units considered to be representative of retina units in France. They comprise 2 departments of ophthalmology in university-based hospitals in Paris and Nantes, one in a non-university-based general hospital in Orleans, and one private tertiary care clinical center located in Paris. The annual numbers for the different retinal imaging methods performed in the 4 units between 2000 and 2011 were recorded, analyzed, and compared.


RESULTS
The total of images performed increased during the last decade, from 16,084 in 2000 to 76,318 in 2011. The distribution of the imaging techniques performed each year changed significantly during this period (p<0.0001, χ² test): the share of fluorescein angiography decreased from 78.7% in 2000 to 7.0% in 2011. During this period, the share of indocyanine green angiography also dropped from 11.3% to 1.3%. The share of optical coherence tomography increased from 26.4% in 2003 to 53.4% in 2012.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study documents the increasing share of noninvasive imaging and the decreasing share of angiography in retina units over the last 12 years.
1 Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, Paris - France.
Salomon Y
SY
Cohen
Michel
M
Weber
Hassiba
H
Oubraham
Alain
A
Gaudric
Gabriel
G
Quentel
Ramin
R
Tadayoni
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000639:trends*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000639:trends; D005602:France; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000639:trends*; D010781:Photography / Q000639:trends; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D012160:Retina; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000639:trends
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green