Peripapillary Choroidal Neovascularization Type 2 With Pitchfork Sign: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• Peripapillary choroidal neovascularization (CNV) can cause significant vision loss.
• The pitchfork sign is an uncommon but distinctive finding in certain retinal conditions.

Observation:

• A young female presented with progressive, painless visual blurring in her left eye.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed subretinal material with finger-like projections near the optic nerve head, characteristic of the pitchfork sign.
• OCT angiography (OCTA) demonstrated type 2 CNV with a large feeder vessel connected to the optic nerve.

Findings:

• The pitchfork sign was observed in a case of peripapillary choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
• The CNV was identified as type 2, originating from a feeder vessel contiguous with the optic nerve.
• No signs of ocular or systemic inflammation were detected.

Implications:

• The pitchfork sign can be associated with both inflammatory and non-inflammatory causes of CNV type 2.
• This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging techniques like OCT and OCTA in diagnosing subtle retinal pathologies.
• Understanding the morphology and potential causes of the pitchfork sign aids in accurate diagnosis and management of peripapillary CNV.