AF and SD-OCT useful in diagnosis of AIR

Autofluorescence (AF) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) can detect structural abnormalities in patients with autoimmune retinopathy (AIR), according to a recent study.

Dr Prithvi Mruthyunjaya et al., Department of Ophthalmology, Duke Eye Centre, Durham, North Carolina, USA, completed a retrospective, observational case series of 14 eyes of seven patients wit AIR. The team collected colour fundus photographs, fundus AF images and SD-OCT at presentation.

Six patients had a history of cancer and were diagnosed with cancer-associated retinopathy or melanoma-associated retinopathy. Abnormalities, including loss of outer retinal layers, were found in six patients.

One patient presented with cancer-associated retinopathy and progressive loss of retinal structure, which was linked to the formation of a hyper-AF ring.

Based on the results, it was found that fundus AF and SD-OCT can detect structural abnormalities in patients with AIR. The areas of hyper-AF that correspond to loss of outer-retinal structures include the inner segment/outer segment junction, the external limiting membrane and outer nuclear layer.

To read more please visit the British Journal of Ophthalmology.