Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Features of Choroidal Nevi

PURPOSE: To investigate the morphologic characteristics of choroidal nevi using swept-source optical coherence tomography and compare this with enhanced-depth optical coherence tomography. DESIGN: Retrospective observational case series. METHODS: One choroidal nevus each from 30 eyes of 30 patients was included and received imaging with swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) and enhanced-depth imaging OCT (EDI-OCT). For SS-OCT, a scan acquisition protocol was used involving 12 mm horizontal and vertical scans in the posterior fundus. The main outcome measures were morphologic features of choroidal nevi obtained with SS-OCT imaging. These features were compared to images obtained with EDI-OCT. A 2-tailed Fisher exact test was the statistical method used. RESULTS: SS-OCT allowed for an appreciation of intralesional details: Of the 30 nevi imaged, intralesional vessels were apparent in 30 (100%), intralesional cavities in 6 (20%), intralesional granularity in 14 (47%), abnormal choriocapillaris in 25 (83%), and abnormal choriocapillaris confined to the tumor apex in 17 (58%). Distended bordering vessels were identified in 22 nevi (73%) and were significantly associated with the presence of previous or persistent subretinal fluid. Intrinsic hyperreflectivity with hyporeflective shadowing was significantly (P = .05) more apparent in 14 of 21 melanotic nevi (67%) compared with 2 of 9 amelanotic nevi (22%). Visualization of the complete nevus-scleral interface was significantly (P = .02) more apparent in 7 of 9 amelanotic nevi (78%) compared with 6 of 21 melanotic nevi (29%), and was not significantly related to tumor thickness (measured by ultrasound) or to tumor configuration. Tumor diameter (but not tumor height) was statistically significantly associated with secondary retinal changes (P = .05) and configuration (P = .01). EDI-OCT was equivalent at determining secondary retinal changes (P = .29), the presence of distended bordering vessels (P = 1), visualization of the nevus-scleral interface (P = .6), and hyporeflective gradation at the nevusscleral interface (P = .33). However, in melanotic lesions, SS-OCT was significantly superior at visualizing intralesional vessels (P =.0002), intralesional granularity (P = .0005), and abnormal choriocapillaris (P = .0001). CONCLUSION: Imaging of choroidal nevi with SS-OCT enables visualization of intralesional details such as vessels (present in 100% of tumors imaged), cavities, and granularity. For melanotic lesions, SS-OCT is significantly better at depicting certain intralesional characteristics compared to EDT-OCT. Distended bordering vessels were recognized in over two thirds of the nevi imaged and were significantly associated with previous or persistent subretinal fluid. (C) 2015 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.