Indocyanine green and fluorescein hyperfluorescence at the site of occlusion in branch retinal vein occlusion

Background: In patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), we inves tigated the presence of indocyanine green (ICG) and fluorescein hyperfluore scence at the site of occlusion. We also assessed the association of this f eature with the clinical outcome of these patients. Methods: Both indocyani ne green (ICG) videoangiography and fluorescein angiography (FAG) were perf ormed in 21 eyes with BRVO of less than 1 month duration. Deterioration of the disease was defined clinically as an increase in retinal hemorrhages or retinal edema. Capillary nonperfusion was quantified with computer image a nalysis from the FAG pictures. Results: ICG videoangiography showed focal h yperfluorescence along the venous wall at the site of the affected A-V cros sing in 9 of the 21 eyes, and FAG showed this feature in 10 eyes. The ICG h yperfluorescence was more prominently and focally detected than the hyperfl uorescence on FAG, which was sometimes diffusely seen throughout the whole occluded area. Eight of the nine eyes showing ICG hyperfluorescence had cli nical deterioration with an increase in retinal hemorrhage or edema. This d eterioration occurred more frequently in eyes with hyperfluorescence and/or late leakage than in ones without these features. The mean nonperfused are a was significantly larger in eyes with hyperfluorescence than in eyes with out these features. Conclusion: The ICG hyperfluorescence at the site of A- V crossing is associated with disease deterioration in patients with fresh BRVO. The ICG hyperfluorescence was more easily detectable than the hyperfl uorescence on FAG, although the difference in sensitivity between the two m ethods is not great.