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Fundus autofluorescence in children and teenagers with hereditary retinal diseases

  • Clinical Investigation
  • Published:
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Abstract

Introduction

In adults, evaluation of fundus autofluorescence (AF) plays an important role in the differential diagnosis of retinal diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of recording AF in children and teenagers and to define typical AF findings of various hereditary retinal diseases during childhood.

Methods

Fifty patients aged 2 to 16 years with hereditary retinal diseases were analysed using the HRA (Heidelberg Retina Angiograph). To enhance the AF signal, a mean of up to 16 single images was calculated. Twenty healthy children (aged 4–16 years) served as controls.

Results

In many children as young as 5 years of age and even in one 2-year-old child good AF images could be obtained. To achieve high quality images, larger image series (about 50 single images) were taken and appropriate single images were chosen manually to calculate the mean. Characteristically, Stargardt disease shows a central oval area of reduced AF, often surrounded by more irregular AF. In patients with Best disease, a central round structure with regular or irregular intense AF is visualised. Some patients with X-linked retinoschisis show central radial structures. In many patients with rod-cone dystrophies, a central oval ring-shaped area of increased AF is present. In early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EOSRD) with RPE65 mutations AF is completely absent, whereas in other forms of Leber congenital amaurosis, AF is normal.

Discussion

Fundus autofluorescence may visualise disease-specific distributions of lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium, often not (yet) visible on ophthalmoscopy. AF images can be used in children to differentiate hereditary retinal diseases and to facilitate follow-up controls. In many cases, four single images are sufficient to analyse the AF pattern.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG Lo 457/3, DFG Lo 457/5). The authors would like to thank all patients and their families for participating in the study and Karin Heinfling, Roman Miedl and Günther Schuch for AF imaging.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismology and Ophthalmogenetics, University of Regensburg, Klinikum, Franz Josef Strauss Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Bettina Wabbels, Anke Demmler, Karina Paunescu, Erika Wegscheider, Markus N. Preising & Birgit Lorenz

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Klinikum, Abbestrasse 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany

    Bettina Wabbels

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  1. Bettina Wabbels
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  2. Anke Demmler
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  3. Karina Paunescu
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  4. Erika Wegscheider
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  5. Markus N. Preising
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  6. Birgit Lorenz
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Correspondence to Bettina Wabbels.

Additional information

Presented in part at the 102nd Meeting of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG)

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Wabbels, B., Demmler, A., Paunescu, K. et al. Fundus autofluorescence in children and teenagers with hereditary retinal diseases. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmo 244, 36–45 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-005-0043-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-005-0043-2

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