STELLATE UNILATERAL NONHEREDITARY IDIOPATHIC FOVEOMACULAR RETINOSCHISIS: A MULTIMODAL IMAGING ANALYSIS AND CASE REPORT

Abstract

Purpose: To describe a case of stellate nonhereditary idiopathic foveomacular retinoschisis in a middle-aged woman and to depict the classic retinal fluorangiography (FA) findings, structural characteristics using macular spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiographic data of vascular and perfusion density using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A), and standardized multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) findings.

Methods: This is a case report of a 53-year-old ophthalmologist who was incidentally diagnosed with unilateral idiopathic foveomacular retinoschisis. Stellate nonhereditary idiopathic foveomacular retinoschisis is defined as a foveal elevation without alternative explanation for retinoschisis. FA, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography angiography, and multifocal electroretinography were used as tools to obtain an integral multimodal diagnosis of this entity.

Results: Clinical examination and multimodal imaging were able to detect unilateral idiopathic retinoschisis, revealing a stellate pattern of retinal concentric cysts with minimal changes in vascular and perfusion density metrics and confirming the absence of bridging vessels. There were consistent FA findings, with almost unaltered foveal changes. Multifocal electroretinography depicted a subtle reduction in dark-adapted a-wave and b-wave amplitudes.

Conclusion: Improvements and innovations in technology for ophthalmic diagnosis have revolutionized our capacity for diagnostic decision-making. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography are useful tools for diagnosis and follow-up assessment. This fortuitous case gives a window on the importance of a routine specialized ophthalmic examination and how multimodal imaging can depict important and specific findings not evident from a clinical point of view. The subtle but important changes observed in optical coherence tomography angiography and multifocal electroretinography will help better define this clinical entity.