Choroidal macrovessel: Systematic review and analysis of anatomic origin

There are various hypotheses for the anatomic origin of a choroidal macrovessel. We assess whether a choroidal macrovessel is a dilated posterior ciliary artery. A systematic review of published literature on choroidal macrovessels was performed with two additional cases from our institution. We compared the visible entry and vascular course of the macrovessel in the published literature. We performed a comparative analysis using indocyanine green angiography, swept source optical computed tomography, and 3D reconstruction of two choroidal macrovessels using 3D Slicer (Harvard, Boston, USA, https://www.slicer.org/). From the 14 studies found, 18 cases met inclusion criteria. The reported literature and our two cases showed a radiating course along a sectoral distribution pattern of either short or long posterior ciliary arteries. Our review of literature and 3D reconstruction analysis support the hypothesis that choroidal macrovessels are dilated posterior ciliary arteries.