Choroidal Findings in Eyes With Birdshot Chorioretinitis Using Enhanced-Depth Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

Citation: Böni C, Thorne JE, Spaide RF, et al. Choroidal findings in eyes with birdshot chorioretinitis using enhanced-depth optical coherence tomography. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.

Choroidal Thickness in Birdshot Retinochoroiditis Over a 2-Year Period

“…Interestingly, in our study, SCF was associated with a higher MD on SAP at baseline, MD being a well-recognized functional parameter reflecting worsening of visual function. We also found a trend toward an association between CT changes and MD at baseline, as also suggested by previous studies [14], but this may simply reflect disease duration. Visual field defects may reflect the inflammatory process within the choroid and/or the retina [7].…”

“…In our patients during follow-up, BCVA, MD and FST did not show significant changes, while foveal CT decreased and SCF significantly increased. In previous studies, thin choroids were significantly associated with longer disease duration, suggesting the possibility of disease-related choroidal atrophy [14]. We hypothesize that both choroidal thinning and increase of SCF during follow-up could be a sign of progressive choroidal inflammation and degeneration.…”

“…Previous studies in small cohorts of patients with BRC using EDI-OCT have suggested thinning of the choroid during a short follow-up [12], while a recent study with a 15-year follow-up has showed a substantial decrease of choroidal thickness (CT) [13]. In a recent study, EDI-OCT demonstrated the presence of lesions with hyporeflectivity in the choroid that did not necessarily correspond to the typical, hypopigmented birdshot lesions observed clinically [14]. Chorioretinal atrophy in BRC has been recently confirmed by histopathology [15].…”

Fundus Autofluorescence Findings in Eyes With Birdshot Chorioretinitis

“…In a study of 86 individuals with BSCR, we showed that enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) could identify choroidal lesions that do not correspond to ''birdshot lesions'' and are not apparent on examination of the fundus. 1 In other studies, fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging was also able to show abnormalities not identified by clinical examination or other modalities. [2][3][4] FAF identifies lipofuscin accumulation in the RPE and provides information about RPE structure and health.…”

“…2,3 Previous studies of FAF imaging and BSCR involved small numbers of individuals, and they were primarily descriptive, without extensive comparison to other disease features or visual function. [2][3][4] To expand our understanding of FAF in eyes with BSCR, we performed a prospective study of FAF findings in the same cohort of 86 individuals whose choroids were studied by EDI-OCT. 1 As in that study, we compared imaging findings to demographic and medical factors, clinical examination findings, and multiple measures of visual function. Findings may provide a better understanding of the spectrum of abnormalities associated with BSCR, suggest disease mechanisms, and identify features of the disease that should be monitored in future clinical studies.…”