Monitoring foveal sparing in geographic atrophy with fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy – a novel approach

Abstract

Using FLIO, we present a novel way to detect foveal sparing, investigate MP, and analyse variability of τ in different foveal regions (including the prognostic valuable border region) in GA. These findings support the potential utility of FLIO in monitoring disease progression. The findings also highlight the possibly protective effect of lutein supplementation, with implication in recording the presence and distributional pattern of MP.

Fluorescence Lifetime Patterns of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Atrophy in Patients with Stargardt Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

“…In this study we observed a greater variability in retinal fluorescence lifetimes within areas of RPE atrophy in patients with AMD, in comparison to patients with STGD. Similar findings were observed in previous studies [16,18]. The heterogeneity within areas of RPE atrophy might, on the one hand, be explained by varying degrees of photoreceptor degeneration, resulting in residual amounts of visual cycle byproducts [29,30].…”

“…While AMD patients display significantly shorter lifetime values in the border zones in comparison to the central atrophic lesion, lifetime values detected in STGD were similar throughout the atrophic lesion. Similar results have recently been described by Dysli et al [16][17][18]. Although the aforementioned study analyzed data from STGD and AMD patients separately, the outcomes are in good accordance.…”

“…The fluorescence lifetime represents the time span a natural retinal fluorophore spends upon excitation with a blue laser light at a higher energy level before returning to its ground state under the emission of autofluorescence. FLIO has been used previously to assess autofluorescence lifetime patterns independently in both AMD and STGD [16][17][18][19]. The aim of this study was to quantify autofluorescence lifetime patterns and to identify differences between atrophy secondary to STGD and AMD.…”

Repeatability and reliability of quantitative fundus autofluorescence imaging in patients with early and intermediate age‐related macular degeneration

“…Recently, fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy, another promising imaging modality, was also introduced for assessing patients affected by AMD (Sauer et al. ).…”

“…Stepwise guidance on how to use this technique and its applicability, especially in retinal diseases associated with genetic defects, has already been published (Delori et al 2011;Greenberg et al 2013;Armenti et al 2016). Recently, fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy, another promising imaging modality, was also introduced for assessing patients affected by AMD (Sauer et al 2018).…”