Choriocapillaris flow deficit in Bietti crystalline dystrophy detected using optical coherence tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate blood flow in the choriocapillaris in patients with Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) with mutations using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and to explore the parameters associated with visual function.

METHODS

This prospective case-series study included 13 eyes of 13 consecutive patients with BCD with mutations and 20 healthy eyes. Using OCTA, we obtained en face images of blood flow in the choriocapillaris. The residual choriocapillaris area on en face images in a 10°×10° macular cube was manually measured and graded according to whether the choriocapillaris remained at the subfovea. We also investigated factors associated with visual acuity (VA) and the mean deviation (MD) value using a Humphrey field analyser with a 10-2 Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm standard program among OCTA-derived parameters.

RESULTS

Choriocapillaris blood flow deficit was observed in 12 eyes (92%), whereas this was observed in none of healthy eyes. The adjusted residual choriocapillaris area was 2.47±1.79 mm. The presence of the choriocapillaris at the subfovea was significantly correlated with VA and the MD value (P=0.006, r=0.71; P=0.04, r=-0.59, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Using OCTA, choriocapillaris blood flow deficit could be observed in most patients with BCD with mutations. The presence of the choriocapillaris at the subfovea was significantly correlated with visual function in these patients. Analysis of choriocapillaris blood flow using OCTA allows non-invasive assessment of the patient's state.