title: Near-infrared autofluorescence: its relationship to short-wavelength autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography in recessive stargardt disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared hypoautofluorescent (hypoAF) areas detected with near-infrared (NIR-AF) and short-wavelength autofluorescence (SW-AF) in patients with recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1) to retinal structure using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The SD-OCT volume scans, and SW-AF and NIR-AF images were obtained from 15 eyes of 15 patients with STGD1 and registered to each other. Thickness maps of the total retina, receptor-plus layer (R+, from distal border of the RPE to outer plexiform/inner nuclear layer boundary), and outer segment-plus layer (OS+, from distal border of the RPE to ellipsoid zone [EZ] band) were created from SD-OCT scans. These were compared qualitatively and quantitatively to the hypoAF areas in SW-AF and NIR-AF images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All eyes showed a hypoAF area in the central macula and loss of the EZ band in SD-OCT scans. The hypoAF area was larger in NIR than SW-AF images and it exceeded the area of EZ band loss for 12 eyes. The thickness maps showed progressive thinning towards the central macula, with the OS+ layer showing the most extensive and severe thinning. The central hypoAF areas on NIR corresponded to the OS+ thinned areas, while the hypoAF areas on SW-AF corresponded to the R+ thinned areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since the larger hypoAF area on NIR-AF exceeded the region of EZ band loss, and corresponded to the OS+ thinned area, RPE cell loss occurred before photoreceptor cell loss. The NIR-AF imaging may be an effective tool for following progression and predicting loss of photoreceptors in STGD1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Vivienne C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Greenstein
authors.affiliation: Columbia College, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Ari D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Schuman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duncker
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zernant
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 4Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Rando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allikmets
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Donald C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 4Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Janet R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sparrow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D000080362:Stargardt Disease; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D055815:Young Adult