Optical coherence tomography angiography: a useful tool for diagnosis of treatment-naïve quiescent choroidal neovascularization

Abstract Purpose To describe the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) features of treatment-naïve quiescent choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration, and to estimate the detection rate for neovascularization by means of OCT-A. Design Diagnostic tool validity assessment. Methods Treatment-naïve quiescent CNV were identified from a pool of patients at 2 retina referral centers. Patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination including fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, spectral-domain OCT and OCT-A. Detection rates of CNV by means of OCT-A were estimated with a second cohort of patients without CNV (negative controls) Results Twenty-two eyes of 20 consecutive patients with quiescent CNV were included. In 4 out of 22 eyes it was not possible to classify the CNV “shape”, “core”, “margin”, and “location” ether because the vascular network was not clearly shown (3 cases) or because it was not visible at all (1 case). CNV shape on OCT-A was rated as circular in 8 eyes and irregular in 10 eyes. CNV core was visible in 2 eyes. CNV margin was considered as well-defined in 15 eyes, and poorly-defined in 3 eyes. CNV margin showed small loops in 9 eyes and large loops in the other 6 eyes. CNV location was foveal-sparing in 12 eyes. Sensitivity and specificity of quiescent CNV detection by OCT-A turned out to be 81.8% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions OCT-A allows the clinician to identify noninvasively treatment-naive quiescent CNV and may possibly be considered as a useful tool to guide the frequency of return visits and possibly make treatment decisions.