Abstract
Introduction: To analyze and correlate the topographic distribution of atrophic areas at the posterior pole and peripheral retina in subjects with geographic atrophy (GA) using ultra-widefield fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging. Methods: This multicenter observational study included 15 patients (9 males, 19 eyes) with coexisting GA and peripheral atrophy. All eyes were imaged with Ultra-widefield Optos California (Optos, PLC, Dunfermline, Scotland) to acquire ultra-widefield (200°) color and FAF images centered on the fovea, superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal sectors. The extent of GA in the central FAF image and the peripheral atrophic areas in the peripheral FAF images were measured by manually defining the boundaries of the atrophic regions using the “ROI free” function integrated into the device software. The values obtained were then analyzed and correlated. Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) GA size was 13.9 ± 15.0 mm2 (range: 1.8–71.3 mm2) and the total peripheral atrophy was 51.0 ± 68.3 mm2 (range: 1.4–292.1 mm2). The topographic analysis showed that the mean ± SD of superior peripheral atrophy was 9.0 ± 20.6 mm2, temporal atrophy was 30.5 ± 55.9 mm2, inferior atrophy was 9.3 ± 16.3 mm2, and nasal atrophy was 1.8 ± 3.9 mm2. GA size was significantly correlated with total peripheral atrophy (Rho = 0.463, p = 0.046) and temporal peripheral atrophy (Rho = 0.474, p = 0.040), whereas no correlations were found with peripheral atrophy in the remaining sectors. Conclusion: Ultra-widefield autofluorescence is a valuable technique for visualizing and assessing the extent of macular and peripheral atrophy. Macular atrophy correlates significantly with total and temporal peripheral atrophy but demonstrates no significant correlation with atrophy in the remaining sectors.
Plain Language Summary
The aim of this multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study is to analyze and correlate the topographic distribution of atrophic areas at the posterior pole and in the periphery in subjects with geographic atrophy (GA) using ultra-widefield fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging. In 19 eyes of 15 patients with coexistence of GA and peripheral atrophy imaged with Ultra-widefield Optos California (Optos, PLC) we acquired ultra-widefield (200°) color and FAF images centered on the fovea and in the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal sectors. We measured the extent of GA in the central FAF image and the extent of peripheral atrophic areas in the peripheral FAF images by manually defining the boundaries of the areas of atrophy with the “ROI free” function integrated in the device software, and we correlated the values obtained. We showed that in patients with coexistence of GA and peripheral atrophy, macular atrophy correlates significantly with total and temporal peripheral atrophy but does not correlate with peripheral atrophy in the other sectors.
