title: CORRESPONDENCE OF LEAKAGE ON FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY PARAMETERS IN DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF MYOPIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION TREATED WITH BEVACIZUMAB.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the morphologic alterations on spectral domain optical coherence tomography in active myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) receiving intravitreal bevacizumab and to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy, taking fluorescein angiography as a reference examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients (30 eyes) were prospectively enrolled. Each eye was imaged with fluorescein angiography and spectral domain optical coherence tomography at the baseline and at 1-, 2-, and 3-month examinations. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography parameters consisting of intraretinal/subretinal fluid and absence of external limiting membrane (ELM) visibility were considered signs of CNV activity and collated with the presence/absence of leakage on fluorescein angiography. Main outcome measures were frequencies of the retinal alterations associated with myopic CNV at the diagnosis and during monitoring of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the diagnosis, spectral domain optical coherence tomography identified subretinal fluid in 14 eyes (46%), intraretinal fluid associated with subretinal fluid in 12 eyes (40%), and absence of ELM visibility in 30 of the 30 eyes (100%). During the follow-up, fluorescein leakage was noted in 32 visits (18, 8, and 6 eyes at the 1-, 2- and 3-month examinations, respectively). Taking into consideration spectral domain optical coherence tomography features of active myopic CNVs on fluorescein angiography, subretinal fluid was identified in 24 examinations (75%), intraretinal cysts with subretinal fluid were noted in 5 visits (15.6%), and the absence of ELM visibility was visible in 32 examinations (100%). The alterations of the ELM corresponded to the location of the fluorescein leakage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that the absence of ELM visibility is a more reliable parameter for evaluating CNV activity than intraretinal/subretinal fluid collection and may constitute a useful option in diagnosing and monitoring the myopic CNV during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, Ospedale San Raffaele, University Vita-Salute, Milano, Italy; and †Fondazione G.B. Bietti Foundation for Study and Research in Ophthalmology, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battaglia Parodi
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bandello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D058471:Subretinal Fluid; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab