Capillary nonperfusion by novel technology of OCT angiography in a patient with sickle cell disease with normal fluorescein angiogram.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Retinal ischemia is a pathophysiologic feature of sickle cell retinopathy. Inner retinal thinning of retina temporal to the fovea has been reported on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) even though clinical examination is normal and fluorescein angiography (FA) does not show any capillary dropout. In a patient with sickle cell disease with temporal inner retinal thinning on SD-OCT and normal FA, the new technology of OCT angiography (OCTA) showed a corresponding area of nonperfusion.

METHODS:

The patient with sickle cell disease underwent visual acuity testing, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and dilated fundus examination. The patient also underwent SD-OCT, digital FA, and OCTA. The findings are described in this case report.

RESULTS:

In this patient with sickle cell disease, although clinical examination was normal and FA did not show any capillary dropout, the SD-OCT showed inner retinal thinning temporal to the fovea. Corresponding to this area, OCTA showed an area of nonperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS:

Optical coherence tomography angiography technology may be more sensitive than the gold standard FA in identifying retinal ischemia in patients with sickle cell disease.

• Authors: Sandeep Grover, Kumar Sambhav, Kakarla V Chalam
• Journal: European journal of ophthalmology (Eur J Ophthalmol) Vol. 26 Issue 5 Pg. e121-3 (Aug 04 2016) ISSN: 1724-6016 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26951533 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Anemia, Sickle Cell (diagnostic imaging, physiopathology)
• Capillaries
• Fluorescein Angiography
• Humans
• Ischemia (diagnostic imaging, physiopathology)
• Male
• Retinal Artery (diagnostic imaging, physiopathology)
• Retinal Artery Occlusion (diagnostic imaging, physiopathology)
• Retrospective Studies
• Tomography, Optical Coherence (methods)
• Visual Acuity
• Young Adult