Choroidal absorption angiography with patent blue V

The vital dye patent blue V is used as a negative contrast dye in order to obtain information about the vascular filling events of the choroid in relation to the retinal circulation and the papilla employing intravenous injection and serial photography. Patent blue is bound to plasma proteins to a limited degree and the angiograms therefore do not only picture the choroidal vessels but also reveal the filling of the choriocapillaris and the transcapillary exchange. It is demonstrated by microdensitometry that the patent blue leakage and subsequent reabsorption is rapid, and that the choroidal dilution curve almost parallels that of the retinal vessels. Our measurements might indicate a diffusion of patent blue from the choroid to the papillary tissue.