[Fluorescence perfusion scintigraphy. A new method for quantifying ocular circulatory disorders].

A new clinical method, fluorescence perfusion scintigraphy (FLUPS), had been developed that permits high-resolution measurement of the circulation time between the carotid artery and the retina. A bolus, consisting of 0.5 ml Na-fluorescein (20%) and 0.5 ml 99mTc-DTPA (20 mBq) is injected into the antecubital vein. The bolus is detected first by a transdermal gamma emission detector overlying the carotid artery with 5 measurements per second. The subsequent appearance of the bolus in the eye is simultaneously recorded with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope that permits high-resolution angiograms. A picture analysis system measures the increase in the intensity of the fluorescence over the optic disc. The temporal difference between the time concentration curves obtained with these techniques is the carotid-retina circulation time. The carotid-retina time of both eyes of 15 patients with unilateral central retinal vein and branch vein occlusion was measured in order to detect interocular changes in the circulation time. The carotid-retina time, as determined by FLUPS in normal eyes, ranged between 0.7 and 2.3 s. Patients with central retinal vein occlusion showed a carotid-retina time that was significantly (p less than 0.05) delayed by 3 to 150%. These data demonstrate that FLUPS is a valuable tool for monitoring defects in the ocular circulation.