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Radiotherapy for age-related macular degeneration: Is there a benefit for classic CNV?

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Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy in the treatment of subfoveal classic and occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) under strict fixation control. Methods: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients with subfoveal CNV as a result of AMD were treated with a total dose of 20 Gy in 10fractions (10 well-defined, 17 occult). Fixation monitoring was achieved by installing a TV camera with an attached fixation light 3 cm from the cornea of the eye being treated. Visual acuity and fluorescein angiography were obtained before and 6 months after treatment. Fifteen eyes of 15 patients served as controls (4 well-defined, 11 occult).Results: After 6 months the treated group showed an average decrease in visualacuity of 27%; the control group experienced a decrease of 31%. Membrane size increased by 56% in the treated group and by 28% in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference. Within the subgroup analysis, however, patientswith classic CNV suffered significantly less visual loss than in the control group.Conclusion: Radiation therapy under optimized treatment conditions by fixation monitoring failed to control further growth in membrane size in both classic and occult CNV. Regarding visual acuity, however, patients with classic CNV seem to benefit fromradiation treatment compared to the natural course.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Germany

    Nicole Eter & Manfred Spitznas

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Germany

    Heinrich Schüller

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  1. Nicole Eter
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  2. Heinrich Schüller
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  3. Manfred Spitznas
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Eter, N., Schüller, H. & Spitznas, M. Radiotherapy for age-related macular degeneration: Is there a benefit for classic CNV?. Int Ophthalmol 24, 13–19 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014445524293

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