Optical coherence tomography angiography in chorioretinal disorders

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a novel imaging modality that incorporates blood motion contrast to create angiograms of the retinal vasculature in a noninvasive manner, without the use of dye. It is a safe procedure and can be repeated as frequently as desired. The use of OCTA for delineation of choroidal neovascular membranes, for the study of microvascular abnormalities in diabetic patients, to assess nonperfused areas in retinal occlusions and vascular changes in macular telangiectasia are some of the potential OCTA applications. However, it is not free of drawbacks. Major limitations include the small field of view and its great sensitivity to movement. As a result, it is prone to motion artifacts, leading to poor-quality images. The scope of the body literature regarding this new modality rapidly increases as we learn how to better use this technology. Our objective is to point overall aspects of OCTA, including its limitations and review some of its initial reports on chorioretinal diseases.