<p>Choroidal Cavitary Disorders</p>

Abstract

The structure and functions of the choroid have been long acknowledged but the pathophysiology behind various anomalies has been difficult to understand until the advent of optical coherence tomography (OCT). With OCT imaging, choroidal cavitations appear as optically empty spaces between the outer retinal and choroidal layers with attenuation or loss of outer retinal layers. Choroidal cavitations are found in the posterior pole and seen in conditions such as pathologic myopia, north carolina macular dystrophy (NCMD), focal choroidal excavation (FCE), and torpedo maculopathy (TM). To date, these disorders have not been linked. A commonality they all share is malformation of the RPE-photoreceptor-choroid complex. The following report describes the differences and similarities of choroidal cavitation amongst the different retinal disorders and emphasizes the importance of multimodal imaging in the detection and management of potential complications.

Multimodal imaging of focal choroidal excavation and macular choroidal cavitation associated to choroidal neovascularization

“…22 Macular ICC has also been reported in other conditions such as North Carolina macular dystrophy, and torpedo maculopathy. 23 In contrast to axial elongation hypothesized to be the cause of cavitations in high-myopia, the underlying mechanism for macular ICC formation in the aforementioned diseases is thought to be congenital. However, the mechanism of macular ICC in non-myopic eyes with or without FCE remains unclear.…”

Four-year follow up of macular intrachoroidal cavitation and chorioretinal atrophy

“…PCA severely impacts vision due to the absence of underlying choroid and the degeneration of overlying RPE and photoreceptors. [ 7 , 9 ] The progression and expansion of these lesions is the leading cause of vision loss in pathological myopia. [ 6 ] Consequently, BCVA decreased from 20/20 to 20/100 during the follow-up period in our case.…”

“…Additionally, the retina thinned, which resulted in deviation into the ICC. PCA severely impacts vision due to the absence of underlying choroid and the degeneration of overlying RPE and photoreceptors [7,9] . The progression and expansion of these lesions is the leading cause of vision loss in pathological myopia [6] .…”

Torpedo Retinopathy or Chorioretinopathy?

“…Furthermore, as discussed in a very recent systematic review, subtypes II and III of Torpedo lesions have been suggested to be classified as choroidal cavitary disorders. [1,2,[4][5][6] In OCT angiography (OCTA) studies, the primary site of malformation was found to be in the RPE/choriocapillaris complex. [6] Herein, we would like to underline the concluding statement of Venkatesh and colleagues, [1] where they stated that Torpedo lesions can occur away from the macula with the same appearance of TM.…”