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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Characterization of Vascular Morphology of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Indocyanine Green Angiography
Published on: August 11, 2023
Subtype lesions of neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Chinese patients
Yan Liu1, Feng Wen, Shizhou Huang
1State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou 510060, People's Republic of China.
Purpose:
To identify the subtype frequency and clinical features of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Chinese patients.
Methods:
From January 2003 to August 2006, we investigated prospectively 155 newly diagnosed patients with presumed neovascular AMD. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed in both eyes of all patients. Subtype frequency and clinical features were recorded according to their angiograms.
Results:
Three subtypes of lesion were noted, which were polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) and mixed lesions. Of the 155 patients, 105 (67.7%) had choroidal neovascularization (CNV) of the typical type seen in AMD, 38 (24.5%) had PCV and seven (4.5%) had RAP. In five (3.2%) additional cases, mixed lesions were noted. In 38 cases (47 eyes) with PCV, the rates of subfoveal, juxtafoveal and extrafoveal lesion were respectively 29.8% (14 eyes), 8.5% (four eyes), and 61.7% (29 eyes), compared with 75.6%, 14.6% and 9.8% for CNV lesion (P < 0.01). The percentage of subfoveal lesion in PCV group was significantly lower than that in the CNV group (P < 0.01). The location of the RAP lesion was subfoveal in two (28.6%) eyes, juxtafoveal in three (42.9%) eyes and extrafoveal in two (28.6%) eyes. The five eyes with mixed lesions were all PCV coexisting with CNV at the same eye, and in all of the five cases, CNV was subfoveal while PCV was extrafoveal.
Conclusions:
In this hospital-based study, PCV accounts for 24.5% of neovascular AMD and is the most common subtype, RAP is less frequent (4.5%), and mixed lesions are much less common in Chinese patients. PCV is least likely to involve the fovea in neovascular AMD.
Insights
Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is the most common subtype of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Chinese patients, occurring in 24.5% of cases. PCV is also least likely to involve the fovea compared to other AMD subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Research
- Retinal Diseases
Background:
- Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss.
- Understanding the subtypes of neovascular AMD is crucial for effective treatment and management.
- Chinese populations may exhibit unique patterns in AMD subtypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of different subtypes of neovascular AMD in Chinese patients.
- To describe the clinical features and lesion locations of these subtypes.
- To compare the characteristics of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with typical choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
Main Methods:
- Prospective investigation of 155 newly diagnosed patients with neovascular AMD.
- Utilized fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).
- Recorded subtype frequency and clinical features based on angiographic findings.
Main Results:
- Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) was the most frequent subtype (24.5%), followed by typical choroidal neovascularization (CNV) (67.7%), retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) (4.5%), and mixed lesions (3.2%).
- PCV lesions were significantly less likely to be subfoveal compared to typical CNV lesions (29.8% vs. 75.6%, P < 0.01).
- RAP lesions showed varied locations, and mixed lesions involved both PCV and CNV.
Conclusions:
- Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is the predominant subtype of neovascular AMD in this Chinese cohort.
- Retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) and mixed lesions are less common.
- The foveal involvement pattern differs significantly between PCV and typical CNV, impacting clinical management strategies.
