Imaging of macroaneurysms occurring during retinal vein occlusion and diabetic retinopathy by indocyanine green angiography and high resolution optical coherence tomography

Macular edema occurring after retinal vein occlusion (RVO) or diabetic retinopathy (DR) may be due to the development of capillary and/or venous macroaneurysms (MAs). Here, we investigated the respective contribution of fluorescein angiography (FA), of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and of high-resolution optical coherence tomography (HR-OCT) to their detection. Review of the charts of six consecutive patients with MAs secondary to RVO (n = 4) or DR (n = 2). For each patient, FA, ICGA and HR-OCT data were analyzed and compared. All detectable MAs were detected by ICGA, while in three eyes FA failed to show them. Overall, ICGA provided a better delineation of MAs than FA. In all cases, HR-OCT identified MAs under the form of a vascular structure with a reflective wall surrounding a lumen containing variably reflective material. MAs can develop during the course of RVO and DR. ICGA and HR-OCT improves the identification of capillary and venous MAs, and may thus be of interest to better identify sites of blood-retinal barrier rupture during chronic macular edema due to RVO or DR.