SIMULTANEOUS INDOCYANINE GREEN AND FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY

Purpose: To facilitate the interpretation of the choroidal dye filling sequence, the use of simultaneous indocyanine green (ICG) and fluores cein angiography was evaluated. Methods: A single-wavelength scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) was modified to a two-wavelength system, pe rmitting the simultaneous recording of ICG and fluorescein angiography . This method has been used in 340 cases. About two thirds of the pati ents had well-defined or occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Results: Simultaneous ICG and fluorescein angiography is feasible with a two-wavelength SLO and prov ides images of good quality. Two corresponding ICG and fluorescein ang iography pictures can be presented as one combined red-green picture. Conclusion: This method has three advantages: (1) it allows a precise comparison of the transit of both dyes through both circulations, and there are no differences in the injected bolus nor in the actual blood pressure; (2) the important features of the ICG angiograms are fully aligned with the critical retinal vascular landmarks provided by the f luorescein images; and (3) it is very time efficient-with a single inj ection and one photographic session, immediate results are obtained.