OCT-Angiography for monitoring and managing neovascular age-related macular degeneration

To evaluate the combined use of optical coherence tomography and angiography (OCT-A) for imaging choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

This prospective observational study was conducted from May 2015 to April 2017. Included in the study were 54 patients (n = 63 eyes), all of whom had CNV secondary to nAMD and all of whom had been examined by OCT-A. Angioscans (3x3 and 6 × 6) and conventional B-scan OCT scans were obtained for all patients at baseline and at various times during the 24-month follow-up period. For diagnostic confirmation, conventional imaging methods fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed at baseline. A total of 13 patients (n = 15 eyes) underwent serial imaging during 34 follow-up visits. The main outcomes included (i) determination of OCT-A sensitivity for the detection of CNV (classic and occult) and (ii) the correlation between B-scan OCT and OCT-A vis-à-vis consecutive follow-up changes.

At baseline, the detection rate (i.e., overall sensitivity) of OCT-A for detecting CNV was 64.4% (75.7 and 48.0% for classic and occult CNV, respectively), independent of prior treatment status. In terms of quality, 6 × 6 angioscans were superior to 3 × 3. Moreover, specific CNV morphologic patterns by B-scan OCT did not correlate with lesion composition. Correspondence between OCT-A and B-scan OCT was observed in only 53% of the cases.

OCT-A may prove to be a valuable adjunctive diagnostic tool for the interpretation of CNV, as it not only reduces the need for invasive angiographic procedures but also facilitates the follow-up process.