title: FUNDUS AUTOFLUORESCENCE IN RUBELLA RETINOPATHY: Correlation With Photoreceptor Structure and Function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate altered fundus autofluorescence in rubella retinopathy and to investigate their relationships with photoreceptor structure and function using multimodal imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors report four cases of rubella retinopathy aged 8, 33, 42, and 50 years. All patients had dilated clinical fundus examination; wide-field color photography; blue, green, and near-infrared autofluorescence imaging and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Two patients also underwent microperimetry and adaptive optics imaging. En face optical coherence tomography, cone mosaic, and microperimetry were coregistered with autofluorescence images. The authors explored the structure-function correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All four patients had a "salt-and-pepper" appearance on dilated fundus examination and wide-field color photography. There were variable-sized patches of hypoautofluorescence on both blue and near-infrared excitation in all four patients. Wave-guiding cones were visible and retinal sensitivity was intact over these regions. There was no correlation between hypoautofluorescence and regions of attenuated ellipsoid and interdigitation zones. Hyperautofluorescent lesions were also noted and some of these were pseudo-vitelliform lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patchy hypoautofluorescence on near-infrared excitation can be a feature of rubella retinopathy. This may be due to abnormal melanin production or loss of melanin within retinal pigment epithelium cells harboring persistent rubella virus infection. Preservation of the ellipsoid zone, wave-guiding cones, and retinal sensitivity within hypoautofluorescent lesions suggest that these retinal pigment epithelium changes have only mild impact on photoreceptor cell function.
authors.affiliation: *Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia;†Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia; and‡Department of Medical Technology and Physics, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Danuta M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bukowska
authors.forename: Sue Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Avenell L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Enid
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chelva
authors.forename: Ivy
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Fred K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012409:Rubella / Q000150:complications*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology