CONFOCAL SCANNING LASER FLUORESCEIN AND I NDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY

Background: We report on our clinical experience with a recently devel oped confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope for simultaneous fluoresce in and indocyanine-green (ICG) angiography. Materials and methods: Fol lowing injection of fluorescein and ICG mixed in one syringe simultane ous confocal scanning laser fluorescein and ICG angiography were carri ed out using the Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (HRA). An argon laser (4 88 nm) and a diode laser beam (795 nm) from an external source were de livered via single-mode fibers. Emission was recorded between 500 and 650 nm and above 810 nm, respectively. Digital images were displayed s imultaneously on a monitor during angiography. Results: A total of 295 simultaneous angiograms in 268 patients with various retinal and chor oidal diseases, including exudative age-related macular degeneration w ith oc cult and classic choroidal neovascularization, were obtained. H igh-contrast images during all phases of the angiography were obtained . Besides mild side effects in similar frequency known from individual injections, no additional toxic or allergic reactions from simultaneo us injections of the two dyes were observed. Conclusions: Confocal las er scanning angiography allows for simultaneous fluorescein and ICG an giography. Compared with consecutive investigations using both dyes, s imultaneous angiography requires only one injection,and offers identic al digital frames. Simultaneous injection is not associated with addit ional side effects.