BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, the indocyanine green (ICG) angiographic features of Bietti's crystalline retinopathy have been described in a single case only. We report the ICG angiographic findings in four patients with Bietti's crystalline retinopathy and compare them with the fluorescein angiographic findings. METHODS: Review of the records of four patients with Bietti's crystalline retinopathy, three of whom were from a single consanguineous family. Fluorescein and ICG angiography were performed with the Heidelberg scanning laser ophthalmoscope. RESULTS: The ICG angiographic findings varied according to the stage of the disease. In the early stages no retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) alterations or choriocapillaris loss were noted. In advanced cases there was extensive chorioretinal atrophy. Most notably, intraretinal crystals did not exhibit fluorescence/cyanescence and had no masking effect on fluorescein or ICG angiography. In all cases angiography showed hypofluorescent/hypocyanescent dots, most likely corresponding to RPE alterations adjacent to atrophic areas. INTERPRETATION: ICG angiography does not give additional information in Bietti's crystalline retinopathy and probably is not superior to fluorescein angiography. However, it delineates the atrophic areas slightly better than does fluorescein angiography.
BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, the indocyanine green (ICG) angiographic features of Bietti's crystalline retinopathy have been described in a single case only. We report the ICG angiographic findings in four patients with Bietti's crystalline retinopathy and compare them with the fluorescein angiographic findings. METHODS: Review of the records of four patients with Bietti's crystalline retinopathy, three of whom were from a single consanguineous family. Fluorescein and ICG angiography were performed with the Heidelberg scanning laser ophthalmoscope. RESULTS: The ICG angiographic findings varied according to the stage of the disease. In the early stages no retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) alterations or choriocapillaris loss were noted. In advanced cases there was extensive chorioretinal atrophy. Most notably, intraretinal crystals did not exhibit fluorescence/cyanescence and had no masking effect on fluorescein or ICG angiography. In all cases angiography showed hypofluorescent/hypocyanescent dots, most likely corresponding to RPE alterations adjacent to atrophic areas. INTERPRETATION:ICG angiography does not give additional information in Bietti's crystalline retinopathy and probably is not superior to fluorescein angiography. However, it delineates the atrophic areas slightly better than does fluorescein angiography.