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Subclinical subretinal fluid detectable only by optical coherence tomography in choroidal naevi-the SON study
Adrian T Fung1,2,3, Raymond Guan4, Veronica Forlani5
1Westmead Clinical School, Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. adrian.fung@sydney.edu.au.
Eye (London, England)
|October 15, 2020
Summary
Subclinical subretinal fluid, undetectable by eye exam but visible on optical coherence tomography (OCT), is present in 11.7% of choroidal naevi. This finding aids in stratifying the risk of choroidal naevi growth and transformation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
Background:
- Subretinal fluid is a known risk factor for choroidal naevi growth and malignant transformation.
- The role of subclinical, optical coherence tomography (OCT)-detectable subretinal fluid in this process remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of subclinical OCT-detectable subretinal fluid over choroidal naevi.
- To identify associations between subclinical subretinal fluid and features predictive of choroidal naevi growth and malignant transformation.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 309 consecutive cases of choroidal naevi imaged with OCT across ten international retinal specialist centers.
- Data collected included patient demographics, clinical examination findings, OCT imaging, and B-scan ultrasonography.
Main Results:
- Subclinical subretinal fluid was detected in 11.7% (36/309) of choroidal naevi.
- Naevi with subclinical fluid were significantly associated with larger basal diameters, increased thickness, presence of a halo, orange pigmentation, hyperautofluorescence, and hypodensity on B-scan ultrasonography.
Conclusions:
- A notable percentage of choroidal naevi exhibit subclinical subretinal fluid detectable only by OCT.
- These naevi frequently present with features indicative of increased risk for growth and melanoma transformation.
- The detection of subclinical OCT-detectable subretinal fluid may enhance the risk stratification of choroidal naevi.
