Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Type 2 Neovascularization in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Abstract

Well-defined choroidal neovascularization, known as type 2 neovascularization (NV) or classic NV, is the least representative phenotype of exudative age-related macular degeneration. Clinical aspects of type 2 NV have been widely described in the literature, and to date fluorescein angiography remains the gold standard for imaging age-related macular degeneration at initial presentation. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) can be used to image vessels based on flow characteristics without any dye injection. Type 2 NV can be visualized using OCT-A with very typical patterns. A neovascular membrane appears as either a medusa-shaped complex or a glomerulus-shaped lesion in the outer retina and the choriocapillaris layer. Furthermore, in the choriocapillaris layer, the external borders of the lesion appear as a dark ring in most cases, and one or more central feeder vessels that extend deeply into the more profound choroidal layers are visible. Identification of type 2 NV is easily feasible for any clinician using OCT-A, especially in areas where there are normally no vessels, like in subretinal space, if the interpretation rules are respected.