Retinal vascular density evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography in macular telangiectasia type 2

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the retinal and choroidal vascular changes through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel 2).

Methods: Our study included 20 patients (40 eyes) with MacTel 2, and age-matched and sex-matched 18 subjects (36 eyes) in the control group. Fundus color photographs, fundus autofluorescence, fundus fluorescein angiography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and OCTA were performed. Foveal vascular density and parafoveal vascular density (PFVD), and foveal retinal thickness and parafoveal retinal thickness, choroidal thickness (CT) and retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) were compared between MacTel 2 patients and normal age-matched controls.

Results: The retinal whole vascular density and PFVD of the deep plexus were significantly lower in patients with MacTel 2 than that of the control group (56.93% vs. 58.54%, p = 0.003; and 60.38% vs. 61.66%, p = 0.045). The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of the deep plexus was significantly enlarged in patients with MacTel 2 than that of the control group (0.44 vs. 0.36, p = 0.009). There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between the FAZ of the superficial and deep plexus and CT in patients with MacTel 2. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between retinal whole, parafoveal temporal quadrant vascular density of the superficial and deep plexus and GCIPL thickness in patients with MacTel 2.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that important retinal vascular density and FAZ changes in MacTel 2 occur in the deep capillary plexus of the retina.

Keywords: Choroidal thickness; Macular telangiectasia type 2; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Retinal ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer; Vascular density.