The diagnostic value of ultra-widefield fundus imaging technology in early familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.

Background: Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), an inherited retinal vascular disease that severely impairs patients'visual function, requires early diagnosis for effective treatment and prevention. The assessment of vascular and tissue lesions in FEVR has traditionally relied on standard fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA).

Objective: This article reviews the advantages of ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography (UWF-OCT), ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (UWF-SLO), ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (UWF-OCTA), and ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWF-FFA) in early-stage FEVR diagnosis and treatment, and the limitations of the latter two techniques.

Materials and methods: Potentially relevant studies were retrieved from major bibliographic databases (PubMed and Web of Science). The characteristics of the four technical features were analyzed.

Results: UWF-OCT and UWF-SLO provide detailed imaging of tractional changes, vitreoretinal adhesions, and TEMPENTINA in various retinal layers in the peripheral retina. UWF-OCTA and UWF-FFA reveal TEMPENTINA, arterial and venous tortuosity, and subclinical retinal vascular alterations, significantly advancing the understanding of FEVR pathogenesis. UWF-OCTA provides near-histological resolution, enabling multi-layered and comprehensive visualization of superficial and deep capillary networks in the peripheral retina, which facilitates follow-up monitoring. Limitations include UWF-OCTA artifacts in superficial vasculature and peripheral signal attenuation, while UWF-FFA carries dye-injection allergy risks.

Conclusion: Ultra-widefield imaging technologies have significantly improved the early diagnosis, lesion assessment, and follow-up management of FEVR. UWF-OCTA, with its non-invasive capability and high resolution, is now a primary research focus, though further technical robustness improvements are needed.