[External beam radiation in treatment of subfoveal vascularized pigment epithelium detachment in age-related XXXX . Long-term results of a pilot study].

@entity1 @entity2318 @entity1939 @entity941 @entity1020
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to contribute to the evaluation of long-term external beam radiation treatment in @entity1 with subfoveal occult choroidal neovessels complicated with pigment epithelium detachment in age-related @entity1020 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of ten @entity1 with a mean age of 75 years and a mean follow-up of 18.7 months. External beam radiation of 14.4 Gy was administered with a daily dose of 1.8 Gy. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed based on visual acuity, the size of the membrane and the persistence or not of neovascular activity. RESULTS: We observed stabilization of visual acuity in 44% of the cases at 6 months but only in 20% at 19 and 30 months. The mean initial visual acuity was measured at 0.2 at presentation and 0.1 at the final evaluation. At the end of the study, 60% of @entity1 attained the level of @entity1939 ; 90% of @entity1 developed a @entity2318 , with persistence of neovascular activity in 27% of the cases. On @entity941 angiography, the size of pigment epithelium detachment increased more than one optic disc diameter in 20% of the cases at 1 year. On the other hand, no radiation complication was observed. DISCUSSION: The visual and anatomical results of our study are similar to the natural progression of occult neovascular membrane. External beam radiation at a dose of 14.4 Gy did not seem to provide a long-term benefit in the treatment of subfoveal occult neovessels associated with pigment epithelium detachment.
