Original Paper

Evaluation of Posterior Pole with Echography and Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Behçet's Disease
Gennarfrancesco Iaccarino^a, Gilda Cennamo^b, Raimondo Forte^b, Giovanni Cennamo<sup>b

a</sup>Eye Department, Second University of Naples, and
^bEye Department, University Federico II, Naples, Italy

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2009;223:250-255 (DOI: 10.1159/000209274)

  Key Words

• Behçet's disease
• Optical coherence tomography
• Echography
• Choroid
• Optic neuritis
• Vitreoschisis
• Posterior vitreous detachment

  Abstract

Background: In Behçet's disease posterior segment involvement is very frequent (about 80%). Macular edema is the most commonly observed complication and is related to reduction of visual acuity. The purpose of the study was to evaluate choroidal involvement during posterior vasculitis due to Behçet's disease. Methods: Thirty eyes (15 patients) presenting with posterior vasculitis due to Behçet's disease were studied. All patients had been evaluated with optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT, Zeiss) to evaluate the retinal thickness (RT) and with standardized 8-MHz A scan echography to determine the retinochoroidal thickness (RCT). Echographic evaluation with 10- and 20-MHz probes was performed in all cases. Results: In 7 eyes (23.3%), both RT and RCT were normal. In 5 eyes (16.6%), they were both increased. In the other 18 eyes (60%), the RCT was increased while the RT was normal, thus indicating a thickening of the choroid alone. No significant correlation was found between choroidal thickness and the presence of vitreal abnormalities. Neither increases in RT nor those in RCT were significantly related to visual acuity. No correlation was found between RT or RCT and pharmacological treatment. Conclusion: Choroidal inflammation could often play a primary eti- ological role during posterior vasculitis in Behçet's disease. Echographic detection of choroidal thickening in patients with Behçet's disease not presenting with retinal alterations or visual symptoms could represent a useful way to detect an early inflammation, in order to start a proper therapy and to influence the final visual prognosis.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Raimondo Forte, MD
Dipartimento di Scienze Oftalmologiche
Policlinico Universitario, Università Federico II
IT-60131 Napoli (Italy)
Tel. +39 081 746 2293, Fax +39 081 746 2383, E-Mail raifor@hotmail.com

  Article Information

Received: January 1, 2008
Accepted after revision: August 8, 2008
Published online: March 20, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 25