Quantitative measures of vortex veins in the posterior pole in eyes with pachychoroid spectrum diseases

Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 11;10(1):19505. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-75789-w.

Abstract

Pachychoroid spectrum diseases have attracted increasing attention, though their pathophysiology has yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we assessed the vascular diameters of vortex veins in pachychoroid spectrum diseases such as central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), pachychoroid neovasculopathy without polypoidal lesions (PNV), and pachychoroid neovasculopathy with polypoidal lesions (polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: PCV). In a retrospective case series of 94 eyes with CSC, 60 eyes with PNV and 57 with PCV, we binarized en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of choroidal vortex veins and analyzed the mean diameter of vortex veins. The presence of anastomosis between the superior and inferior vortex veins and central choroidal thickness (CCT) were also evaluated using OCT images. CSC showed significantly larger mean diameter of vortex veins than PCV (P < 0.05). Anastomosis between superior and inferior vortex veins was observed in over 90% of eyes with each pachychoroid spectrum disease. The patients with CSC were the youngest, followed by PNV patients, and then patients with PCV. The largest CCT values were observed in CSC eyes, followed by PNV eyes, and then PCV eyes. CCT correlated with the mean diameter of vortex veins (rs = 0.51, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that congestion of vortex veins might show gradual amelioration corresponding to the development of anastomosis between the superior and inferior vortex veins during the course of progression of pachychoroid spectrum diseases. Moreover, the mean diameter of vortex veins can be used as a parameter indicating choroidal congestion.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / complications
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / diagnostic imaging*
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / pathology*
  • Choroid / blood supply*
  • Choroid / diagnostic imaging*
  • Choroid / pathology
  • Choroid Diseases / complications
  • Choroid Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Choroid Diseases / pathology
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / diagnostic imaging
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Posterior Eye Segment / blood supply
  • Posterior Eye Segment / diagnostic imaging
  • Retinal Detachment / diagnostic imaging
  • Retinal Detachment / pathology
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / diagnostic imaging
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / pathology
  • Retinal Vein / diagnostic imaging*
  • Retinal Vein / pathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence