The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Diagnosis and Monitoring Patients with Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

Wydanie 2/2018
str. 46 – 52

Autorzy: Elżbieta Krytkowska, Anna Machalińska, Aleksandra Grabowicz

I Katedra i Klinika Okulistyki Pomorskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Szczecinie
Kierownik: prof. dr hab. n. med. Anna Machalińska

Summary: 

Purpose: The aim of the study is to present the usefulness of optical coherence tomography angiography in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with wet (neovascular) form of age-related macular degeneration.

Material and Methods: The study presents the spectrum of changes observed in optical coherence tomography angiography images in patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration based on global literature, and also based on studies performed in the 1st Ophthalmology Clinic with the OCT Heidelberg Spectralis.

Results: Imaging retinal and choroidal vascularization with the optical coherence tomography angiography method allows the diagnosis of the neovascular membrane already at an early stage of the disease. Thanks to simultaneous analysis of the B optical coherence tomography cross-section, the neovascular membrane can be classified. With optical coherence tomography angiography images, it is possible to estimate the level of activity of a newly diagnosed neovascular membrane with high probability. Periodic optical coherence tomography angiography examination enables the monitoring of changes in patients treated with intravitreal injections.

Conclusions: optical coherence tomography angiography is a non-invasive examination that reflects the microcirculation of the retina and choroid with great precision, and it can become an extremely useful tool for the recognition, classification and monitoring of pathological changes in the course of vascular diseases of the eye. It allows visualization of the neovascular membrane in the course of exudative age-related macular degeneration with considerable accuracy. This is important both in the early diagnosis and in the monitoring of patients treated with intravitreal injections. Analysis of optical coherence tomography angiography images requires experience and elimination of potential artifacts.