Fundus autofluorescence imaging of retinal dystrophies

Vision Res. 2008 Nov;48(26):2569-77. doi: 10.1016/j.visres.2008.01.010. Epub 2008 Mar 4.

Abstract

Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is a non-invasive imaging technique that enables the visualization of lipofuscin changes in the retinal pigment epithelium. This study aims to illustrate the spectrum of FAF changes in a variety of retinal dystrophies. For this purpose, we examined patients with retinal dystrophies such as Stargardt disease, Best vitelliform macular dystrophy, and retinal dystrophies associated with mutations in the peripherin/RDS gene. All retinal dystrophies were confirmed by molecular genetic analysis. A broad range of characteristic FAF patterns was observed. Our results indicate that FAF imaging constitutes a useful additive tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of various retinal dystrophies.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Choroid Diseases / diagnosis
  • Fluorescence
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Lipofuscin / metabolism
  • Macular Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods
  • Ophthalmoscopy / methods
  • Retinal Degeneration / diagnosis*
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / metabolism

Substances

  • Lipofuscin