

4 In addition, FA can investigate retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) disruption, documenting window defect (Figure). FA imaging includes dynamic information regarding the transit of blood as well as identification of dye leakage, which is fundamental to assess vascular leakage and the integrity of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). FA VERSUS OCTAįA investigates the status of retinal circulation, including the presence of nonperfused areas, microvascular abnormalities, and neovascularization. 7 In this review, we discuss the pros and cons of using FA and its continued clinical utility. Since the introduction of OCTA, the number of fluorescein angiograms per year has been decreasing.

3-5 Although OCTA was initially used to assess macular vascularization, recent reports have documented the possibility of using additional convex lenses to increase the field of view (ie, the extended field imaging technique). OCT angiography (OCTA) was introduced into clinical practice in 2015 as a noninvasive imaging technique to visualize blood flow of the retinal and choroidal vasculature at specific depths.
#Normal retina fluorescien angiography serial#
1,2 It is based on the intravenous injection of fluorescein sodium, a noniodinated contrast agent, followed by the acquisition of serial photographs to visualize the patency and permeability of the retinal vessels. Although FA remains the standard in the evaluation of vascular disorders of the retina, its application in the diagnosis of macular vascular disorders, especially macular neovascularization, has been decreasing with the advent of OCTA.įirst developed in 1961, fluorescein angiography (FA) has been the standard for the diagnosis and follow up of myriad retinal vascular diseases.OCTA is unable to detect neovascular leakage and cannot image the entire retinal field-whereas UWFA can.Despite the growing utility of OCT angiography (OCTA), fluorescein angiography (FA) remains an indispensable examination tool for many pathological conditions, especially with the introduction of ultra-widefield FA (UWFA).
