THE IMPROVED IMAGE OF INDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY IN YOUNG HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Purpose: The authors performed indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in healthy volunteers using a high resolution ICG video system to obtain baseline images for subsequent studies. Methods: Ten eyes of 10 health y, young volunteers were studied. Before ICG angiography, all eyes wer e examined ophthalmoscopically and biomicroscopically and found to be intact. Indocyanine green (50 mg) dissolved in 2 mt of distilled water was injected through the antecubital vein. Video ICG angiogram was re corded until 30 minutes after the dye injection. Results: Although the choroidal dye filling varied among subjects, it always began in the m acular area. In the 10 volunteers, initial dye filling had two pattern s: flush (n = 2) and reticular (n = 8). Patchy dye-filling delay in th e posterior fundus was a common finding (n = 9). Vertical filling dela y running between the medial and nasal cilial arteries was observed in nine eyes. The choroidal circulation filled completely before the ret inal circulation did. At 30 minutes after dye injection, interstitial tissue staining of the choroid and vascular silhouette resulting from dye washout was observed in all eyes. Conclusions: Arterioles and capi llaries of the choroid were well delineated by ICG angiography, result ing in better understanding of the physiologic and pathologic conditio ns of the choroidal circulations and the chorioretina itself.