Flourescein Angiogram and Funduscopic Features of Radiation Induced Retinopathy: A Descriptive Value of Retinopathy Severity in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Radiation retinopathy (RR) is a known complication after radiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC). This study aims to relate the relationship of RR and radiation dose in patients with NPC through assessment with clinical funduscopy and fundus fluorescein angiogram (FFA). A cross sectional study was conducted on patients with NPC who had completed radiotherapy treatment in the Oncology Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Eighty two eyes of 42 patients were examined and the prevalence of RR was found to be 35.4%. The severity of RR is strongly associated with the dose of radiation to the retina (Spearman correlation value=0.48; p<0.001). The common features of RR assessed by FFA were telangiectatic vessels (26.2%) and capillary non-perfusion (14.3%). Retinal neovasularization occurred in 10.7% of eyes. The level of visual deterioration correlated with the severity of RR with 26% of eyes experiencing a visual acuity of 6/18 or worse. More than one third of patients developed RR, with radiation maculopathy being the commonest cause for significant visual loss. FFA is a useful tool in detecting early signs of radiation retinopathy and maculopathy. Keywords