A NEW METHOD OF IMAGE-ANALYSIS OF FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY APPLIED TO AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Quantitative analysis of retinal and choroidal abnormalities using cur rent photographic techniques is complex and laborious. Digital image a nalysis techniques using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope overcome ma ny of the problems with present techniques and allow reliable quantita tion. A prerequisite of quantitation is accurate image acquisition and registration. The authors describe a reliable method of image analysi s and apply it to the quantitation of hyperfluorescence in scanning la ser fluorescein angiograms of different forms of age-related macular d egeneration. Retrospective analysis of scanning laser fluorescein angi ograms obtained using a standardised technique was undertaken. Eighty- six angiograms from patients with age-related macular degeneration wer e analysed and categorised as dry maculopathy, geographic atrophy of t he retinal pigment epithelium, retinal pigment epithelial detachment ( FED) or subretinal neovascularisation (SRNV), Fluorescein characterist ics of both SRNV and FED showed a characteristic pattern of fluorescen ce. The advantages and disadvantages of the technique are discussed.