Uveitis, a rare eye disease characterized by inflammation, can be challenging to diagnose and monitor, especially its posterior and panuveitis forms. The condition has a lengthy course and can potentially lead to severe outcomes. However, an innovative and swift imaging technique known as Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is proving to be a valuable tool in this regard. This is the conclusion of a recent review by researchers from the University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn and specialists from Berlin, Münster, and Mannheim. Their findings were published in the journal Biomolecules.
This ailment, uveitis, is an inflammation of the choroid, positioned between the retina and the sclera in the eye. It has several subtypes including anterior, intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis. Identifying the subtype, particularly posterior uveitis and panuveitis, is often a complex task due to their considerable diversity and rarity, as stated by Dr. Maximilian Wintergerst, a researcher at the University of Bonn and the Eye Clinic at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB). The review, however, emphasizes how FAF imaging can assist in diagnosing and managing certain forms of posterior uveitis.
FAF, a non-invasive technique for eye fundus imaging, illuminates fluorophores in the eye tissue using a very specific light wavelength. This results in a glow that reveals the distribution of these fluorophores and the intensity of the light signal. These light patterns can offer valuable information about the type of uveitis, says Wintergerst. In some cases, it can also help establish the current state of inflammation. For example, active inflammation might be signalled by brightly lit areas in the retina, while darker areas could indicate inactive inflammation, adds Dr. Matthias Mauschitz, Head of the Uveitis Clinic at the UKB.
The research also pointed out that the choice of wavelength used can significantly influence the autofluorescence signal from the retina and choroid. Depending on the wavelength, lesions can be imaged at varying depths, thereby providing insights into different areas, explains Mauschitz. The researchers also compared the autofluorescence of different wavelengths in a case series included in the review, concluding that combining different wavelengths can yield additional information about the form of uveitis.
The research team hopes to raise awareness about the potential of autofluorescence imaging in diagnosing and monitoring some types of uveitis, and to encourage further research in this field. They also highlighted the possibility of combining autofluorescence imaging of different wavelengths. In conclusion, Wintergerst states, “Fundus autofluorescence plays a vital role in diagnosing and monitoring posterior uveitis and panuveitis. In some subtypes of uveitis, it can also provide crucial signs of an upsurge in inflammatory activity.”
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