Choroidal Changes in Behcet's Disease

We examind for choroidal changes 31 patients 56 eyes with Behcet's disease by indocyanine green angiography (ICG) and compared them with changes in the retina observed by the fluorescence angiography. ICG positive group of 44 eyes was found to exhibit hyperfluorescence (35 eyes), speckled hypofluorescence (9 eyes), ringed hyperfluorescence (5 eyes) and choroidal sclerosis with increased veil hyperfluorescence (4 eyes). Hyperfluorescence (35 eyes) was seen in the posterior pole of the fundus. We compared the hyperfluorescence group with the hypofluorescence group in relation to number of attacks of chorioretinitis in the preceding year. Attacks of chorioretinitis were significantly more frequent in the hyperfluorescence group (p=0.02). The hyperfluorescence findings correlated with the activity of chorioretinitis. We compared the hyperfluorescence group with the hypofluorescence group according to the results of ICG in regard to fluorescence angiography score. But the comparison showed that there was no correlation between choroidal hyperfluorescence findings and the activity of chorioretinitis, the choroidal hyperfluorescence findings were correlated with macular edema. Accordingly, macular edema was more frequent in choroidal hyperfluorescence group, and it took longer for visual acuity to improve in this group. We observed new evidence of choroidal changes in Behcet's disease. The submacular choroidal changes we observed may be helpful in choosing methods of treatment and determining when to institute treatment. ICG is useful in evaluating choroidal changes in Behcet's disease