The Evaluation of Photodynamic Therapy for Idiopathic Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization with Imaging Studies

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for idiopathic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization with various imaging studies. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and imaging studies of 17 patients (17 eyes) who were diagnosed with idiopathic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization and treated with PDT between December 2000 and May 2003. Slit lamp examination, fluorescein angiography (FAG), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were conducted before and after PDT. RESULTS: After PDT, the mean visual acuity was improved from 0.23 (20/80) to 0.48 (20/40). On FAG, the mean size of neovascular lesion (the longest length of lesion) was slightly decreased from 2038 +/- 592 micrometer to 1872 +/- 622 micrometer after PDT. However, the change was not significant. Fluorescein dye leakage decreased or disappeared, but staining of the lesion was noted. On OCT, the macular edema disappeared, but the hyperreflective area remained after PDT. CONCLUSIONS: PDT was effective in the treatment of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization. The factors representing the therapeutic effect of PDT were visual improvement, decreased leakage on FAG, and decreased macular edema on OCT, and these three factors were significantly related to each other.