Indocyanine green angiography and choroidal neovascularization obscured by hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To determine the use of indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in detecting choroidal neovascularization obscured by hemorrhage. STUDY/DESIGN: Indocyanine green angiography was performed on 20 consecutive patients who were suspected to have choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVs) that were obscured by subretinal or intraretinal hemorrhage on fluorescein angiography. The etiology of choroidal neovascularization was age-related macular degeneration.

RESULTS

In all patients, ICG angiography was able to detect some choroidal neovascularization. The entire extent of the CNV was identified in 12 (60%) of these patients after ICG angiography was performed. In the remaining eight eyes (40%), the CNV still was obscured partially by a thick layer of hemorrhage. Difficulty in detection was due to thick subretinal hemorrhage, lipid exudate, and pigment.

CONCLUSION

The authors conclude that ICG angiography is superior to fluorescein angiography in showing the presence and extent of CNVs associated with age-related macular degeneration that are almost entirely obscured by hemorrhage.