My staff asks me to describe an IVFA…. where do I start?
This is an IVFA of the:
Classify the laterality
Classify the timing and phase
Describe the pattern of abnormal fluorescence
Abnormal Fluorescence
Hyperfluorescence
Areas of the IVFA that appear bright
Sub-descriptions:
Leakage: Bright areas that enlarge as the angiogram progresses in size and intensity, with fuzzy borders
Pooling: Bright areas that initially enlarge, but then becomes a fixed size
Staining: Bright areas that stay the same size, but gets more intense as the angiogram progresses.
Window defect: Happens due to loss of the RPE. The bright area does not change in size or brightness throughout the angiogram, and becomes hyperfluorescent in the choroidal phase before arterial filling.
Hypofluorescence
Areas of the IVFA where there is reduced or absent fluorescence, so it appears dark.
Sub-descriptions:
Blocking: Opacities that physically block retinal or choroidal fluorescence
Filling defect: Darkness that happens because of lack of perfusion of retinal arteries, capillaries or veins.