Fundus Fluorescein Angiography
Fundus Fluorescein Angiography
Fundus Fluorescein Angiography
Introduction
Fluorescein
From petroleum derivatives: phthalic anhydrate & resorcinol
Highly fluorescent dye
Fluorescein efficiency: 100%
Absorbs: 485 nm – 500 nm (Blue-Green light)
Emits: 520 nm – 530 nm (Yellow Green light)
Dose:
Average adult: 500mg: 2mL (25%) or 5 mL (10%)
pH: 8.5
Adjusted for small adult & children
Introduction
Sodium fluoresecein (C20H10O5Na2)
Introduction
In the blood:
80% → protein bound
20% → free → to fluoresce
Metabolized in: kidney
Excreted by: kidney → urine
Clears from the system within 24-48 hrs
Avoid any blood work
Faint yellow blush in the ptn’s skin for several hrs
following angiography
Excreted in breastmilk
Adverse Effect
Mild
Nausea & vomiting
±10%
Usually no Tx needed
Extravasation
Painful (pH 8.5)
Cold followed warm compress
Subcutaneous granuloma
Toxic neuritis
Local necrosis
Adverse Effect
More severe (1%)
Pruritus
Urticaria
Laryngeal oedema
Brochospasm
Syncope
Anaphylaxis
0.02 %:
AMI
Cardiac arrest
Principle
1. Fluorescein can’t diffuse through the tight junction
Inner blood retinal barrier: retinal blood vessel
endothelium
Outer blood retinal barrier: RPE
2. There 2 circulation system within the fundus
Choroidal circulation
Fluorescein leaks our freely though the fenestrated CC →
bruch’s membrane
Further diffusion block by RPE
Retinal circulation
Fluorescein can’t leak out from these vessels normally
Principle
3. Capillaries in the ciliary processes
permeable to fluorescein
Rapidly appears in the aqueous following the injection
Diffuse to vitreous as well
Emit the yellow light which reflects off white structure
below → falsely to appear fluorescein (reflected
flourescence)
Optic disc, myelinated RNFL, & exudates (hard
exudates)
Principle
Digital Imaging
FPRC (Fundus Photo Reading Center) Protocol
Colour
3M-D (Modified 3 Standard Field Digital)
4W-D (4-Wide Field Digital)
7M-D (Modified 7 Standard Field Digital)
7Std-D (7 Standard Field Digital)
9Std-D (9 Standard Field Digital)
FFA
Digital Imaging
Commonly used
3M-D : Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy
and Odema
7M-D: PDR
9Std-D: CMV retinitis, AIDS retinopathy, peripheral
retinitis, and uveitis diseases.
Digital Imaging
3M-D
30̊ – 35̊ magnification setting
3 Fields: F 1M, F2, F3M
Sequence: F 1M → F2 → F3M
F1M: Optic Disc
Center the temporal edge of optic disc at the cross hair
intersection
Partial view of macula
Stereo pair
Digital Imaging
F2: Macula
Center the macula near the cross hair intersection
Stereo pair
F3: temporal to Macula
Position the cross hair intersection in the ocular 1-1.5 DD
to the center of macula
Stereo pair
Digital Imaging
7M-D
30̊ – 35̊ magnification setting
7 Fields: F 1M, F2, F3M, F4, F5, F6, F7
Sequence: F 1M → F2 → F3M → F4 → F6 → F5 → F7
F1M, F2, & F3M ~ 3M-D
F4: superior temporal
Lower edge ~ tangential to horizontal line passing through
the upper edge of optic disc
Nasal edge ~ tangent to vertical line passing through the
center of the disc
Stereo pair
Digital Imaging
F6: superior nasal
Lower edge ~ tangential to horizontal line passing through
the upper edge of optic disc
Temporal edge ~ tangent to vertical line passing through the
center of the disc
Stereo pair
F5: inferior temporal
Upper edge ~ tangential to horizontal line passing through
the lower edge of optic disc
Nasal edge ~ tangent to vertical line passing through the
center of the disc
Stereo pair
Digital Imaging
F7: inferior nasal
Upper edge ~ tangential to horizontal line passing
through the lower edge of optic disc
Temporal edge ~ tangent to vertical line passing through
the center of the disc
Stereo pair
Digital Imaging
F4, F5, F6, F7
Digital Imaging
9Std-D
50̊-60̊ magnification setting
9 Fields: F 1-2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10
Sequence: F 1-2 → F3 → F8 → F9 → F4 → F6 → F10 →
F5 → F7
F1-2: Optic disc / Macula
Center the camera midway between temporal margin of
the optic disc and the center of macula
Stereo pair
Should include: optic disc & macula
Digital Imaging
F3: temporal to Macula
The same horizontal meredian with F1-2
Nasal edge: 1 DD temporal to the center of macula
Overlap ± 3DD with F1-2
F8: nasal to optic disc
The same horizontal meredian with F1-2
Temporal edge: adjacent to nasal margin of the disc
Overlap ± 3DD with F1-2
Digital Imaging
F9: Superior
Superior to F1-2
Inferior edge: overlap the superior edge of F1-2 by 1-1.5 DD
Try to choose the landmark
F4: Superior temporal
The same horizontal meredian with F9
Nasal edge: at the center of F9
Overlap ± 5DD with F9
F6: Superior nasal
The same horizontal meredian with F9
Temporal edge: at the center of F9
Overlap ± 5DD with F9
Digital Imaging
F10: Inferior
Inferior to F1-2
Superior edge: overlap the superior edge of F1-2 by 1-1.5 DD
Try to choose the landmark
F5: Inferior temporal
The same horizontal meredian with F10
Nasal edge: at the center of F10
Overlap ± 5DD with F10
F7: Inferior nasal
The same horizontal meredian with F9
Temporal edge: at the center of F10
Overlap ± 5DD with F10
Standard FA (FA-D)
30̊-35̊ magnification setting
2 Fields: F 1M, F2
F1M: Optic disc
Center the temporal edge of the optic disc at the cross hair
Optic disc off center, partial view of macula
F2: Macula
Center the macula at the cross hair
F2 and Stereoscopic Red Free pre-injection taken at F2
1st Fellow eye, then study eye
Stereo pair: 1st left then right
To ensure the focus throughout the FA
Standard FA (FA-D)
Pre – injection sequence:
FE: F2 → Red Free
SE: F2 → Red Free
All in stereo pair
F2 F1M F1M F2
Standard FA (FA-D)
Injection:
Do not delete any images taken during fill phase (0-5 sec)
Early phase
Pair: Time ‘0’: start of injection; second frame: end of
injection
“Control” pair: the integrity of exciter and barrier fillters
Time shown: duration of injection
Control photograph
10-16 exposures at 1-2 sec intervals, begin at 15 sec after the time ’0’
Capture the earliest appearance of dye
Sooner (<15 sec) or delaying (>15 sec)
Culminating about : 40-45 sec
NOT to delete any images captured
Standard FA (FA-D)
Mid phase
60-90 sec:
Stereo pairs of F2 then F1M of SE
2 minutes
Stereo pair of F2 of FE
2-3 minutes
Stereo pair of F2 of SE
Late phase
5 minutes:
Stereo pair of F2 of SE
10 minutes:
Stereo pairs of F2 of SE and FE
Standard FA (FA-D)
Timing SE / FE Field
Time ‘0’ start injection SE F2 Not stereo
Stop injection ~ 5 sec Not stereo
Stereo
Transit 15-45 sec (5-8 pairs)
60-90 sec SE F2 Stereo
F1M Stereo
2 min FE F2 Stereo
2-3 min SE F2 Stereo
5 min SE F2 Stereo
10 min SE F2 Stereo
10 min FE F2 Stereo
Preparation
Explain
Informed consent
Premed:
Benadryl 25mg for pre- & post- allergy medication
Compazine 5 mg for pre- medication
Resuscitation facilities
‘Code Blue’ team
FFA – Phases and Normal Timing
Phase Timing
Choroidal filling 8-15 sec after injection
Retinal arterial filling 1-2 sec after choroidal filling
Venous lamellar filling 2-3 sec after arterial filling
Full venous circulation < 11 sec after arterial filling
Recirculation 30 – 150 sec after injection
Late 10-30 min after injection
FFA - Normal
1. Normal timing
2. Normal phases
FFA – Phases and Normal Timing
Early: AV ~ V
Mid: ~ recirculation
Late
Pathologic pattern
Hyperfluorescence
1. Window defect
2. Pooling
3. Stanining
4. Leakage
Hypofluorescence
1. Blockage
2. Non-perfusion/filling defect
Pathologic pattern
Window defect
Transmission of dye from choroid
Occurs: early in FFA
Atrophy / destruction of RPE, RPE tear, drusen
Pooling
Increase in intensity but not size
Occurs: early in FFA
Dye in sub-RPE space: PED
Dye in sub-retinal space: SRF, exudative RD
Pathologic pattern
Leakage
Increase in size and intensity
Occurs:
Early: CNV (choroidal vessels)
Late:
NVD, NVE (retinal vessels)
Optice nerve head: papilloedema
Staining
Retinal scars, sclera, abN vessels
Occurs: late
Pathologic pattern
Blockage
Masking effect
Retinal haemorrhage
Oedema & exudates (hard exudates)
Pigments (melanin & xanthophyll)
Lipofuscin (Best’s desease)
Filling defect
Retinal ischaemia: RVO, RAO, DR
Choroidal ischaemia: HR
Retinal atrophy: myopia
Window defect
Chorio-retinal scar
Window defect
Dry AMD - Drusen
CSCR
Pooling
PED
CMO
Leakage
Wet AMD – classic CNV
Staining
GA
Staining
Blockage & non perfusion
DR
Filling defect & CNP
Fluorescence lesions unrelated to
vascular permeability
1. “Pseudofluorescent” lesions
Missmatched/poorly matched exciting & barrier filters
Blue light reflected from the surface of any white / light
coloured non-fluoresecent lession
Bypass the barrier filter → appear to be fluorescent
2. Reflected fluorescence
Exciting & barrier filters are carefully matched
Light coloured, non fluorescein lesions may exhibit
flourescence during late stages
Because of reflection from their surface of yellow green light
Dye normally escapes into ocular media
Fluorescence lesions unrelated to
vascular permeability
3. Autofluoresecence lesions
Some fundus lession before administration of
fluorescein are capable of emiting yellow green light
when irradiated with blue light
Example:
Calcified drusen of optic nerve head
Large deposit of lipofuscin
Autofluorescence
FAF (Fundus Auto Fluoresecein)
Lipofuscin
Pigment
Autofluoresces when excited with blue light or UV light
RPE accumulate lipofuscin over time
Background autofluoresecence
Increase /decrease in certain diseases
A2E and others (iso A2E, A2-PE-H2, A2PE, and A2-
rhodopsin) can also contribute
Formed at outer segment prior to phagocytosis
FAF (Fundus Auto Fluoresecein)
Heidelberg machine
Exciting: 488 nm
Barrier: 488 nm
Topcon machine
Exciting: 512 nm
Barrier: 488 nm