Informativeness of optical coherence tomography in differential diagnosis of central chorioretinitis and age-related macular degeneration

Purpose: the analysis of the informativeness of optical coherence tomography as an additional method in the diferential diagnosis of central chorioretinitis and age-related macular degeneration. Material and Methods. Studies conducted in 44 patients. The frst group included 20 patients with central chorioretinitis. The second group consisted of 24 patients with diferent forms of age-related macular degeneration. The informativeness of optical coherence tomography was analyzed in the diferential diagnosis of central chorioretinitis and AMD. Results. Uncomplicated forms of AMD and central chorioretinitis have a diferent tomographic picture. Using the OCT method it is possible to judge the change in the thickness of the choroid which increases in the acute phase of chorioretinitis. In the atrophic form of AMD, the thinning of the choroid extends over a considerable distance. OCT provides additional information on the localization of the infammatory focus. Conclusion. OCT-diferences were found at the level of the pigment epithelium, retinal photoreceptors and choroid in infammatory processes and degenerative diseases, which can help in difcult cases of diferential diagnosis. However, secondary choroidal neovascularization does not have specifc OCT signs in various diseases, since it is a complication of the main process.