RETINAL RACEMOSE HEMANGIOMA (RETINAL ARTERIOVENOUS COMMUNICATION) DIAGNOSED AND MANAGED WITH MULTIMODAL IMAGING
Mark P Breazzano1,2,3,4,5,6, Gerardo Ledesma-Gil1,7, Juliet O Essilfie1,3,4
1Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York, New York.
Background/Purpose:
Retinal racemose hemangioma is a rare congenital abnormality of the retinal vasculature with a variety of secondary manifestations that can cause vision loss, including macular edema. This report aims to demonstrate the use of swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography in further characterizing this abnormality.
Methods:
Case report with multimodal imaging including swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography.
Results:
A 56-year-old woman with blurred vision was diagnosed macular edema secondary to retinal racemose hemangioma. Localization of the arterial-venous connection was identified with swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography at the deep capillary plexus. Conservative management of the associated foveal exudation ultimately led to a favorable outcome.
Conclusion:
Observation or topical therapy may be useful and warranted in select cases of retinal racemose hemangioma. The anomalous vascular connection in retinal racemose hemangioma seems to originate at the level of the deep capillary plexus in this case; however, larger studies are necessary for corroboration. Evolving angiographic modalities such as swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography may continue to provide insights for this rare disease.
