Objective To observe the fundus imaging characteristics of different stages of syphilitic posterior uveitis. Methods Retrospective cases series. Forty-six eyes of 32 patients with syphilitic posterior uveitis were included. There were 14 patients (16 eyes) and 18 patients (30 eyes) were assigned to acute stage group (with the course ＜2 months) and chronic stage group (with the course ≥2 months) respectively. All eyes received the examination of indirect ophthalmoscopy, color fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). All patients received regular anti-syphilitic treatment. Color fundus photography and OCT were followed after treatment. The fundus imaging characteristics of different stages of syphilitic posterior uveitis were observed. Results Indirect ophthalmoscopy and fundus color photography showed that in the acute stage group, there were 3/16 eyes with optic disc edema; 4/16 eyes with a yellowish, placoid lesion involving the macular. There were only some pigment alterations on the fundus after treatment. In the chronic stage group, there were 4/30 eyes with optic disc hyperemia, 3/30 eyes with cystoid macular edema. After treatment, the optic hyperemia vanished gradually, but there were still some pigment alterations. The FFA images of two groups showed various vascular leakages. In the chronic stage group, patients also showed hyper-fluorescence with cystoid macular edema. The patients with course 2 – 3 years have more transmitted fluorescence on FFA. OCT showed that all eyes in the acute stage group had lost the ellipsoid zone, with irregular granular reflectivity of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, 6 eyes with subretinal fluid in the macular. After treatment, the ellipsoid zone and RPE layer structure recovered gradually. In the chronic stage group, all eyes showed widespread loss of the ellipsoid zone, pigment migration and (or) cystoid macular edema. After treatment, the ellipsoid zone showed partial recovery. The outer ellipsoid zone was still discontinuous in patients with long duration. Conclusions Syphilitic posterior uveitis patients generally had normal fundus, but some cases had a yellowish, placoid lesion involving the macular. FFA showed various vascular leakages, and the chronic stage group showed more transmitted fluorescence. The major OCT change was loss of the ellipsoid zone or with subretinal fluid. After treatment, fundus showed no abnormal manifestations except some pigment alterations; the ellipsoid zone structure recovered gradually in acute stage eyes, partially recovered in chronic stage eyes.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical evolution process and imaging characteristics of choroidal lesions in different subtypes of serpiginous choroiditis (SC), and to explore the clinical significance of subtype classification. MethodsA retrospective, uncontrolled and observational study. A total of 45 eyes of 25 SC patients diagnosed in Yunnan Eye Hospital from May 2009 to September 2021 were included in the study. According to the initial location of the lesion and fundus images, including fundus color photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and other examination results. SC was divided into peripapillary serpiginous choroiditis, macular serpiginous choroiditis and ampiginous choroiditis. According to the shape of the lesions at the first diagnosis, it can be divided into new lesions with only infiltrating edema, old lesions with only atrophy and recurrent lesions with coexistence of edema and atrophy. the imaging features, development and complications of different subtypes of ocular lesion were observed. ResultsAmong the 45 eyes of 25 cases, 15 cases were male and 10 cases were female, 20 cases of binocular and 5 cases of monocular, age was 42.3±5.7 years old. There were 21 eyes with active lesions, of which 5 eyes were new lesions and 16 eyes with recurrent lesions; 24 eyes were old lesions. Concurrent optic disc edema occurred in 3 eyes; mild vitreitis occurred in 5 eyes; retinal occurred vasculitis in 3 eyes; choroidal neovascularization occurred in 3 eyes. Among the 16 cases (64%, 16/25) of the peripapillary serpiginous choroiditis, 2 cases (2 eyes) were monocular, and 14 cases (28 eyes) were binocular. Active lesions were found in 16 eyes, of which patients with binocular lesions only one had active lesions. The choroidal lesions that were close to the optic disc or around the optic disc, expanded outwards centrifugally with the prolongation of the disease course, and can progress to the macula. The edge of the lesion was tortuous, with a geographic-like, amoeboid-like and finger-like, polypoid or propeller-like shape. Active lesions in FFA showed weak fluorescence in the early stage and strong fluorescence in the late stage; the old lesions showed weak fluorescence in the early stage and mottled fluorescence in the late stage, and mostly strong fluorescence on the edge. OCT showed thickening of active lesions and thinning of old lesions. Among the 4 cases (16.0%, 4/25) of macular type, 2 cases (2 monocular eyes) had active lesions; 2 cases (4 eyes) had lesion in both eyes, among them, 1 case (2 eyes) had old lesion, and the other case had alternate active lesions. The initial lesions were all located in the off-center of the macula, and most of them were disk-shaped and progressing centrifugally to the periphery. The FFA and OCT imaging findings of the lesions were similar to those of the peridisc type. Among the 5 cases (20.0%, 5/25) of ampiginous choroiditis, 1 case (1 eye) was monocular and 4 cases (8 eyes) were binocular. These lesions were multiple old lesions of varying sizes, gray-white with pigmentation, with clear borders in the posterior pole. Among them 4 eyes have new active lesions appeared near the old lesions. The old lesions showed weak fluorescence with clear borders, and the fluorescein leakage at the late edge formed a strong fluorescence ring; the active lesions showed weak fluorescent spots with blurred edges, and the fluorescence was slightly enhanced in the late stage. In old lesions, atrophy of the photoreceptor layer, RPE and choroid can be seen, and RPE hyperplasia in some areas. ConclusionsSC subtype is a classification of the location of the first lesion, but the characteristics of the repeated attack of this disease can lead to the annihilation of each subtype due to the continuous expansion of the lesion. The phenomenon that the fundus active lesions only occur in one eye that can explain the clinical manifestations of asymmetric morphology of binocular lesions. The characteristics of binocular subtype warn that the predilection site of the healthy eye should be paid attention to.