Digital indocyanine green angiography in chorioretinal diseases

BACKGROUND: Fluorescein angiography (FA) is important in the diagnosis of chorioretinal diseases; however, it has some limitations. We conducted this study to evaluate whether digital indocyanine green (ICG) angiography can offer enhanced image in chorioretinal diseases. METHODS: Digital indocyanine green angiography with scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) was performed in 314 patients with various chorioretinal diseases. This coupled digital imaging system can offer instant images, process and store data by computer, and give convenient hardcopy generation. RESULTS: The digital ICG angiography provided enhanced image resolution of the choroid compared with FA. The disease categories included choroidal neovascularization (CNV), choroidal tumor, inflammatory choroidal disease, ischemic choroidal disorder, idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy and retinal macroaneurysm. CONCLUSIONS: ICG angiography is a useful adjunctive diagnostic technique to fluorescein angiography for various chorioretinal diseases. It is especially useful in the diagnosis of occult and recurrent CNV, as well as choroidal tumor and choroiditis. With greater clinical experience, ICG angiography is promising in giving additional clinical information for many other chorioretinal diseases.