Projection-resolved optical coherence tomography angiography exhibiting early flow prior to clinically observed retinal angiomatous proliferation

• Main Authors: Kavita V. Bhavsar, Yali Jia, Jie Wang, Rachel C. Patel, Andreas K. Lauer, David Huang, Steven T. Bailey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017-12-01
• Series: American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
• Subjects: Optical coherence tomography angiography; Type 3 choroidal neovascularization; Retinal angiomatous proliferation; Neovascular age-related macular degeneration
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451993616303036
• ISSN: 2451-9936

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze early retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) utilizing a novel imaging modality, Projection-Resolved Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (PR-OCTA). Observations: Five months prior to the diagnosis of a RAP lesion, cross-sectional PR-OCTA demonstrated flow in the outer retina contiguous with the deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) and adjacent to a small pigment epithelial detachment. After development of a clinically visible RAP lesion, cross-sectional PR-OCTA demonstrated the RAP lesion connecting DCP and sub-retinal pigment epithelial neovascularization. Conclusions & importance: This is the first report of PR-OCTA demonstrating abnormal flow in the outer retina prior to the development of a clinically detectable RAP lesion. PR-OCTA may be useful for surveillance and to help further characterize and stage RAP lesions.