Is Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Essential for Flexible Treatment Regimens with Ranibizumab for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Abstract EN

Purpose.

To evaluate the ability of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to detect subtle amounts of retinal fluid when the choroidal neovascularization is detected as inactive via time-domain optical coherence tomography and clinical examination in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients.

Methods.

Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients with nAMD after ranibizumab treatment were included in this cross-sectional, prospective study.

All patients were imaged with TD-OCT and SD-OCT at the same visit one month after a ranibizumab injection.

The presence of subretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal pigment epithelium fluid (subRPE) in SD-OCT was evaluated; also mean central retinal thickness (CRT) and the rate of vitreoretinal surface disorders detected via the two devices were evaluated.

Results.

The mean CRT via TD-OCT and SD-OCT was 218.1±51.3 and 325.7±78.8 microns.

Sixteen patients (32.6%) showed any kind of retinal fluid via SD-OCT.

In detail, 8 patients (16.3%) showed subretinal fluid, 10 patients (20.4%) showed intraretinal fluid, and 3 patients (6.1%) showed SubRPE fluid.

The ability of detecting vitreoretinal surface disorders was comparable between the two devices, except vitreomacular traction.

Conclusion.

SD-OCT is essential for the nAMD patients who are on an as-needed treatment regimen with ranibizumab.

Only TD-OCT and clinical examination may cause insufficient treatment in this group of patients.