Choroidal Thickness in Multifocal Dendritic and Placoid Serpiginous-Like Choroiditis: A Comparative Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Choroidal Diseases

Background:

• Serpiginous-like choroiditis (SLC) presents in dendritic (D-SLC) and placoid (P-SLC) forms.
• Understanding the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics of these forms is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the SD-OCT findings in multifocal D-SLC and P-SLC.
• To analyze differences in choroidal thickness and lesion area between D-SLC and P-SLC.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective comparative study analyzed SD-OCT features in patients with D-SLC and P-SLC.
• Area of Involvement (AoI) and central choroidal thickness (CT) were measured and compared between groups with comparable AoI.

Main Results:

• Thirty-four eyes from 28 patients were included (15 D-SLC, 19 P-SLC).
• Mean AoI was comparable between D-SLC and P-SLC groups (P = .553).
• Mean central CT was significantly lower in P-SLC (152 µm) compared to D-SLC (217.92 µm) (P = .01).

Conclusions:

• The choroid is significantly thinner in P-SLC compared to D-SLC.
• P-SLC may involve more extensive choroidal destruction, potentially requiring more aggressive therapeutic approaches.