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BJO Online First, published on August 1, 2017 as 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210
Clinical science

Comparing optical coherence tomography findings in


different aetiologies of infectious necrotising retinitis
Alessandro Invernizzi,1,2 Aniruddha Kishandutt Agarwal,3 Vittoria Ravera,1
Chiara Mapelli,4 Agostino Riva,5 Giovanni Staurenghi,1 Peter J McCluskey,2
Francesco Viola6

1
Eye Clinic, Department of Abstract has dramatically changed the management of
Biomedical and Clinical Science Aims To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) several retinal diseases, including uveitis, especially
"L. Sacco", Luigi Sacco Hospital,
University of Milan, Milan, Italy features of active necrotising infectious retinitis (NIR) after the introduction of enhanced depth imaging
2
Save Sight Institute, Sydney Eye due to toxoplasmosis or herpesviruses and to determine (EDI-OCT) technology.7 8 In the infectious retinitis
Hospital, University of Sydney, distinctive OCT signs for these two causes of infectious literature, several publications have focused on the
Sydney, Australia
3
retinitis. OCT features of toxoplasmosis,9–11 while the liter-
Advanced Eye Center - ature on OCT features of viral retinitis is limited
Postgraduate Institute of
Methods OCT scans from eyes with active NIR due to
Medical Education and varicella zoster virus (VZV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), to case reports or small series.12 13 Specific infective
Research, Chandigarh, India cytomegalovirus (CMV), and toxoplasmosis (TOXO) were agents spread differently through ocular tissues,
4
Fatebenefratelli and reviewed. All images were evaluated for the presence raising the possibility that OCT findings may vary
Ophthalmic Hospital, Azienda of previously described OCT findings in TOXO-NIR and according to the causative infective agent.14 15
SocioSanitaria Territoriale (ASST)
Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milano, compared with the viral group. New OCT findings were The aim of this study was to compare OCT scans
Italy recorded and compared. Retinal and choroidal thickness collected from patients with active toxoplasmic
5
Department of Clinical were measured at the site of NIR and compared. necrotising retinitis with images from active viral
Sciences, Luigi Sacco Hospital, Results 10 eyes diagnosed with TOXO-NIR and 13 necrotising retinitis to determine whether there are
Section of Infectious and distinctive OCT signs for these two entities.
Tropical Diseases, University of
eyes affected by viral-NIR (9 CMV and 4 VZV) were
Milan, Milan, Italy analysed. All eyes showed full thickness hyper-reflectivity,
6
Department of Clinical disruption of the retina and a variable degree of Methods
Sciences and Community vitritis. Among previously described OCT signs, hyper-
Health, University of Milan, Charts and imaging studies of patients diagnosed
reflective oval deposits and hypo-reflectivity of the with infectious necrotising retinitis due to vari-
Ophthalmological Unit,
IRCCS-Cà Granda Foundation - choroid had a higher prevalence in TOXO (p=0.018 and cella zoster virus (VZV), herpes simplex virus
Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, p<0.0001, respectively). Among the new signs, hyper- (HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and toxoplas-
Milan, Italy reflective round deposits along the posterior hyaloid, mosis (TOXO) who were referred to the uveitis
retrohyaloid hyper-reflective spots and a disruption of clinics of two tertiary centres in the north of Italy
Correspondence to the choroidal architecture were more frequent in TOXO
Dr Alessandro Invernizzi, (Eye Clinic, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of
eyes (all p<0.01). Intra-retinal oedema and hyper- Milan, and Ophthalmological Unit, IRCCS-Cà
Eye Clinic, Department of
Biomedical and Clinical Science reflective vertical strips within the outer nuclear layer Granda Foundation – Ospedale Maggiore Poli-
“Luigi Sacco”, Luigi Sacco were suggestive of a viral aetiology (p=0.045). Retinal clinico, Milan) between January 2013 and
Hospital, University of Milan, thickness at the site of NIR did not differ between the December 2015 were reviewed. Institutional
Milan 20157, Italy; ​alessandro.​ two groups. Choroidal thickness was significantly higher
invernizzi@​gmail.​com Review Board/Ethics Committee approval was
in TOXO eyes (p=0.01). obtained for the protocol before the conduct of
Received 17 January 2017 Conclusions The diagnosis of NIR is largely based on the study. The study adhered to the tenets of the
Revised 18 June 2017 clinical and laboratory findings. OCT changes may be Declaration of Helsinki.
Accepted 24 June 2017 useful in differentiating different causes of NIR. The criteria for the diagnosis, depending on the
disease, were as follows:
VZV/HSV (acute retinal necrosis (ARN)): VZV/
HSV retinitis was diagnosed by the presence of the
Introduction following clinical features: (1) acute panuveitis;
Infectious necrotising retinitis has several aetiolo- (2) occlusive retinal vasculitis (arteritis and phle-
gies including bacteria, viruses and parasites, with bitis) with or without retinal haemorrhage; and
herpesvirus and toxoplasmosis being the most (3) peripheral patchy necrotising retinitis (usually
common causative agents.1–3 Prompt and specific multifocal) with or without retinal breaks and optic
therapy is critical for a good outcome and rapid disc swelling.2 16
identification of the causative agent is essential CMV retinitis: CMV retinitis was diagnosed by
to guide specific therapy.2 4 5 The clinical signs of the presence of the following features: (1) typical
infectious necrotising retinitis are similar regard- retinal clinical features; (2) positive CMV serology;
To cite: Invernizzi A, less of the cause, making the differential diagnosis and (3) patient with systemic immunocompromised
Agarwal AK, Ravera V, et al. challenging. This is particularly true in the case of status from HIV infection, malignancy or immuno-
Br J Ophthalmol Published
Online First: [please include immunocompromised patients, who often show suppressive drug therapy.5 17
Day Month Year]. atypical clinical features.6 Toxoplasma retinitis: Toxoplasmic retinitis was
doi:10.1136/ In the last few years, the advent of spectral diagnosed by the presence of the following clinical
bjophthalmol-2017-310210 domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features: (1) detection of a solitary focus of active
Invernizzi A, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2017;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210 1
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Clinical science
chorioretinitis adjacent to a chorioretinal scar; and (2) positive
Table 1 Demographic and clinical features of the patients with
toxoplasmosis serology.18
toxoplasmic and viral necrotising retinitis
Vitreous PCR was performed to confirm the diagnosis when
the clinical features were unclear or atypical. Demographic/clinical features Toxoplasmic Viral
OCT images were obtained at the patient’s first visit, using Subjects (eyes) 10 (10) 10 (13)
the Heidelberg HRA Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Age (mean (range)) 36.6 (14–75) 48.7 (7–65)
Heidelberg, Germany). Vitreal and retinal OCT features were Gender (males (%)) 6 (60%) 6 (60%)
identified from 30° or 55° single OCT scans (100 ART mean/b- Bilateral 0 3 (30%)
scan) passing through the lesions. Choroidal OCT features were Immunocompromised (systemic)* 3 (30%) 8 (80%)
identified from 30° or 55° single EDI-OCT scans (100 ART Intravitreal/peri-bulbar steroid injection† 2 (20%) 0
mean/b-scan). First diagnosis‡ 4 (40%) 13 (100%)
All OCT images were evaluated by two independent assessors
*Patients suffering from a compromised immune status due to an underlying
for the presence of specific OCT findings previously described systemic condition (HIV, immunosuppressive treatment, malignancies).
in toxoplasma chorioretinitis9 11 (ie, vitritis, hyaloid thickening, †Patients who had received local treatment with steroids (intravitreal/periocular) for
disruption, thickening, hyper-reflectivity of the retina, inter- any other condition in the 2 weeks before diagnosis of necrotising retinitis.
ruption of photoreceptor inner/outer segment junction, retinal ‡Proven first presentation of the disease (absence of scars along with high IgM
pigmented epithelium (RPE) elevation, hyper-reflective oval titres on serum samples).
deposits within the vitreo-retinal interface, sub-retinal fluid, and
hypo-reflectivity of the choroid). These findings in patients
Similarly, in the viral group, the degree of vitritis was trace to +1
with toxoplasma retinitis were compared with those observed
in most involved eyes with only two eyes (VZV-related ARN
in patients with viral retinitis. Any new OCT findings observed
in immunocompetent patients) showing intense vitritis (+3).
during the analyses were also recorded and compared. A third
Despite the vitritis, by asking the patients to quickly change their
independent assessor was asked to grade the image in cases of
gaze direction, it was possible to collect good quality OCT scans
disagreement.
encompassing the active lesions in all eyes included in the study.
Retinal and choroidal thickness were measured twice by
All eyes, regardless of the aetiology, had full thickness
two independent operators at the site of the active lesion on
hyper-reflectivity and disruption of the retinal layers in the
OCT scans, acquired with or without EDI function, by using
necrotic area, with a variable degree of vitritis and choroidal
the in-built calliper tool (Heyex Eye Explorer, Heidelberg
thickening on OCT scanning. Among the OCT findings previ-
Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Measurements were then
ously described in toxoplasma retinochoroiditis (table 2), only
compared between the two patient groups.
the hyper-reflective oval deposits on the inner retinal surface
Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 6
(figure 1A) and the hypo-reflectivity of the choroid beneath
(GraphPad, CA, USA). Fisher’s exact test was used to compare
the affected retina (figure 2A) had a significantly lower prev-
the prevalence in the two populations of OCT findings. Student’s
alence in patients affected by viral retinitis (p=0.018 and
t-test was used to compare the retinal and choroidal thickness
p<0.0001, respectively).
between the two groups. A value of p<0.05 was considered to
In addition to the previously described OCT features, we
be statistically significant.
describe 10 new OCT features in patients with toxoplasmic
and viral retinitis. Among these newly observed OCT signs
Results (table 2), both hyper-reflective round shaped deposits along the
Ten eyes from 10 patients diagnosed with active toxoplasmic posterior hyaloid (figure 1B) and retro-hyaloid hyper-reflec-
retinochoroiditis and 13 eyes from 10 patients with active viral tive spots (figure 1C) had a significantly higher prevalence in
necrotising retinitis were included in the study. In the TOXO patients affected by toxoplasma chorioretinitis (p=0.019 and
group, five of 10 eyes had atypical clinical findings either due p=0.003, respectively).
to previous intravitreal or peribulbar steroid injections or due to Both intraretinal oedema (figure 3A) and hyper-reflective
a systemic immunocompromised state. In these cases, vitreous vertical strips within the outer nuclear layer (ONL) (figure 3B)
tap and PCR were performed to confirm the diagnosis. In the were present in 38.4% of the eyes affected by viral agents and
viral retinitis group, nine eyes (seven patients) had CMV retinitis were absent in toxoplasma chorioretinitis (both p=0.045). All
and the remaining four eyes (three patients) had VZV-related the other new retinal OCT signs, including epiretinal membrane,
ARN. CMV retinitis was diagnosed clinically in six of nine eyes. hyper-reflective bridges within the retina, lacunae in the outer
In three eyes (two subjects) there were typical clinical features nuclear layer (ONL) and subretinal fluid, had a similar preva-
of CMV retinitis, but there was no history of a known immu- lence in the two groups.
nocompromised status. The CMV aetiology was confirmed by The choriocapillaris was altered in most patients in both groups
a vitreous tap and PCR analysis in these patients. In addition, (p=0.1). Disruption of the choroidal architecture, with reduc-
systemic examinations revealed HIV infection in one subject and tion/disappearance of the physiological hyper-reflective septa
leukaemia in the other as the underlying causes of immunocom- (figure 2B), was found in 90% of the toxoplasmic retinochoroid-
promisation. VZV aetiology was determined in ARN patients itis but was not seen in the viral infected group (p<0.0001). In
for concomitant VZV comorbidities or due to HSV1-2 negative seven of 10 toxoplasmic cases, details of the choroid where not
serology. visible underneath the centre of the lesion due to shadowing by
Detailed demographic data for both the groups (mean age, the overlying necrotising retinitis (figure 4A). In these patients
gender, immune system status, underlying disease) are presented the choroidal architecture was assessed along the edges of the
in table 1. active focus (figure 4B).
On fundus examination seven of 10 eyes in the TOXO group Vitreal and choroidal OCT findings suggestive of toxo-
(five atypical +2/4 first diagnosis) had mild vitritis (trace to +1), plasmic retinochoroiditis are summarised in figure 1 and
and the remaining three eyes had intense vitreous haze (+2 to+3).
2 Invernizzi A, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2017;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210
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Clinical science

Table 2 Optical coherence tomography findings: comparison between toxoplasmic and viral necrotising retinitis
OCT signs Toxoplasmic Viral p
Signs previously described in Toxoplasmic retinitis n (%) n (%) p
V* Vitritis 9 (90) 10 (100) 1
Hyaloid thickening 10 (100) 9 (90) 1
R Retinal disruption 10 (100) 13 (100) 1
Retinal thickening 10 (100) 13 (100) 1
Retinal hyper-reflectivity 10 (100) 13 (100) 1
Interruption of photoreceptors IS/OS 10 (100) 13 (100) 1
RPE elevation 10 (100) 10 (76.9) 0.229
Hyper-reflective oval deposits 6 (60) 1 (7.6) 0.018
Subretinal fluid 2 (20) 5 (38.4) 0.405
C Hypo-reflectivity of the choroid 10 (100) 0 <0.0001
Newly observed signs n (%) n (%) p
V* Hyper-reflective round shaped deposits along the posterior hyaloid 7 (70) 1 (10) 0.019
Retrohyaloid hyper-reflective spots 7 (70) 0 0.003
R Epiretinal membrane 8 (80) 12 (92.3) 0.559
Intraretinal oedema 0 5 (38.4) 0.045
Hyper-reflective vertical strips in ONL 0 5 (38.4) 0.045
Hyper-reflective bridges 2 (20) 6 (46.1) 0.378
Lacunae in ONL 2 (20) 6 (46.1) 0.378
C Choriocapillaris alterations 10 (100) 9 (69.2) 0.104
Choroidal architecture disruption 9 (90) 0 <0.0001
Quantitative parameters mean±SD mean±SD p
Retinal thickness 368±64 316±154 0.39
Choroidal thickness 411±135 254±72 0.01
*3/13subjects affected by viral necrotising retinitis were diagnosed with complete posterior vitreous detachment, thus OCT evaluation of the vitreous was performed on 10 eyes
only.
C, choroid; IS/OS, inner segment/outer segment; OCT, optical coherence tomography; ONL, outer nuclear layer; R, retina; RPE, retinal pigmented epithelium; V, vitreous.

figure 2, respectively. Retinal OCT signs suggestive for viral aeti- aetiology. In fact, some OCT signs had already been reported in
ology are summarised in figure 3. other retinal necrotising disorders.13
Mean retinal thickness of active lesions did not differ among In the current study, five OCT signs were identified that
the two groups (p=0.39). Choroidal thickness beneath active suggest toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis. Oval deposits lying on
retinitis was significantly higher (p=0.01) in toxoplasmic retino- the retinal surface had been previously described in toxoplasmic
choroiditis compared with viral retinitis (table 2). posterior uveitis.9 This OCT sign is likely related to a specific
Assessment of choriocapillaris alteration (in three cases) and inflammatory reaction pattern induced by the parasite, and was
the distinction between epiretinal membrane and thickened identified in more than half of the toxoplasma cases compared
posterior hyaloid tightly attached to the retinal surface (four with a single patient with viral retinitis in the current study.
cases) were the only OCT signs that required adjudication by Hypo-reflectivity of the choroid beneath the necrotic retinal
the third grader. focus strongly suggests toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis and was
present in all involved eyes in this study. The low reflectivity
Discussion beneath the necrotic retina is most likely due to increased absorp-
SD-OCT is widely considered to be an extremely useful tool for tion and reflectance of the OCT signal from the necrotic retina9
the diagnosis and management of several diseases affecting the and an alteration of the physiological choroidal structure.19 As
posterior segment of the eye.7 The results of the current study necrosis involves all retinal layers regardless of the aetiology, it
suggest an adjunctive role for SD-OCT in the differential diag- is not clear why the necrotising focus blocks the OCT signal far
nosis of necrotising retinitis. more in toxoplasmosis than in viral retinitis (figure 2A and C).
Necrotic retina has been previously described on OCT imaging It may be that differences in the tissue damage induced by these
as disrupted and hyper-reflective in its entire thickness in both entities results in chemical alterations within the retinal layers
viral13 and toxoplasma retinitis.9 These features were identified that changes their physical properties and alters signal transmis-
in our patients regardless of the aetiology, confirming them as sion. The changes in choroidal architecture can be explained by
characteristic but non-specific abnormalities in necrotising reti- the anatomical location of the pathogen within ocular tissues
nitis. Additionally, most of the OCT signs previously reported in and its pattern of spread during active infection. Toxoplasma
patients with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis9 were identified in gondii targets the retina and spreads to the choroid resulting in a
the patients with viral necrotising retinitis in the present study. granulomatous retinochoroiditis,20 whereas herpesviruses target
Earlier studies of OCT changes in patients with toxoplasmosis the retina only.15 All the patients with toxoplasmic retinochoroid-
were not trying to differentiate toxoplasmosis from other types itis had a reduction in the number of the hyper-reflective septa
of retinitis, and most of the OCT signs are those of non-spe- corresponding to the choroidal vessels walls in the affected areas
cific retinal necrosis rather than being specific for a particular (figures 2B and 4B), similar to that reported within choroidal
Invernizzi A, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2017;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210 3
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Clinical science

Figure 1 Vitreal optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings. Three


vitreous OCT findings are associated with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
(A) Hyper-reflective oval deposits on the inner retinal surface (black
arrowhead) (previously described as characteristic OCT feature of
toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis). (B) Hyper-reflective round-shaped
deposits along the posterior hyaloid (white arrows) often with mirror
image deposits on the retinal surface (double head white arrows in
the magnified square 2). (C) Retrohyaloid hyper-reflective dots (white
arrowheads), better seen in the magnified square 3. These findings
were identifiable in immunocompromised (A, C) and immunocompetent
(B) patients. OCT scans from an immunocompromised patient (D) Figure 2 Choroidal enhanced depth imaging optical coherence
and an immunocompetent (E, F) patient diagnosed with viral retinitis. tomography (OCT) findings. Two choroidal OCT findings are associated
Regardless of the immune status of the patient the scans show a lack with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis: (A) Hypo-reflectivity of the choroid
of oval deposits. Notably, the posterior hyaloid appears thickened (black arrows) beneath the necrotic focus (previously described as
with some hyper-reflective tracts (black arrows) but no round-shaped a characteristic OCT feature of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis); and (B)
deposits. A variable degree of vitritis (white asterisk) is visible in all choroidal architecture disruption consisting of absence of the hyper-
cases. reflective septa within the choroid (black arrowheads). OCT scans from
patients with viral retinitis (C, D) demonstrate that viral induced retinal
granulomas visualised by EDI-OCT,21 and diffuse thickening of necrosis does not obscure the underlying choroid. Although some
the whole choroidal layer, likely reflecting the ongoing granu- degree of choriocapillaris alteration is present (white arrowheads), the
lomatous choroiditis. Such alterations were absent in the viral choroidal architecture is largely preserved. Choroidal thickness beneath
retinal necrosis (figure 2D) thus suggesting toxoplasmic aetiology. active lesions (white callipers) was significantly higher in toxoplasmic
Choroidal thickness beneath the active focus was also signifi- retinitis compared with viral retinitis.
cantly greater in toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis compared with
viral retinitis. The choriocapillaris was hypo-reflective, with loss frequently in patients with viral retinitis. Cystic spaces within
of its physiological dotted pattern in both groups. These findings the retina were previously described in a large cohort of patients
have been previously described in other cases of posterior uveitis with intraocular toxoplasmosis. In this study, cystoid degenera-
and can represent a sign of hypo-perfusion/inflammation of the tion was identified in 15% of the patients and cystoid macular
choriocapillaris.22 This is not surprising since both herpesviruses oedema (CME) in 7.5%.10 Our study confirms that cystoid
and toxoplasma can affect the choriocapillaris and RPE.23 degeneration is common in toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis, but a
Hyper-reflective round-shaped deposits along the posterior similar percentage of patients with viral retinitis had lacunae in
hyaloid and hyper-reflective dots (likely cells) floating in the
retro-hyaloid space also suggested toxoplasmic retinochoroid-
itis and were almost undetectable in viral-related retinitis. It is
tempting to speculate that these OCT signs could be part of a
specific immune response to toxoplasma infection, as is hypoth-
esised for the oval preretinal deposits.9 Most of the hyper-reflec-
tive deposits along the posterior hyaloid had a corresponding
deposit on the underlying retinal surface, suggesting a common
pathogenesis. In addition, both patient groups included immu-
nocompromised and immunocompetent patients who had a
variable degree of vitritis. Similar findings were identified within Figure 3 Retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings
each group regardless of the immune status of the patients that suggest viral necrotising retinitis. Two retinal OCT findings are
(figure 1). This suggests the pattern of vitreal OCT findings to associated with viral necrotising retinitis: (A) Intra-retinal oedema
be more related to the aetiology than the amount of vitreous (white asterisk) involving the outer nuclear layer, characterised by mid
inflammation. reflective cystoid spaces; and (B) hyper-reflective vertical strips within
Intra-retinal oedema (intra-retinal cystic spaces or lacunae the outer nuclear layer (black arrowheads) commonly located at the
in the ONL) and vertical strips within the ONL were seen more margins of full thickness retinal lesions.
4 Invernizzi A, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2017;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210
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Clinical science
the data, drafted the work, revised and gave final approval. VR, CM, AR: acquired,
analysed and interpreted the data, revised and gave final approval. GS, FV, PMC:
interpreted the data, revised and gave final approval.
Competing interests GS has financial relations with OCT manufacturers
including: Heidelberg Engineering, Zeiss, Nidek, Canon, Optovue.
Ethics approval Local IRB.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the
article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise
expressly granted.

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Invernizzi A, et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2017;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310210 5


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Comparing optical coherence tomography


findings in different aetiologies of infectious
necrotising retinitis
Alessandro Invernizzi, Aniruddha Kishandutt Agarwal, Vittoria Ravera,
Chiara Mapelli, Agostino Riva, Giovanni Staurenghi, Peter J McCluskey
and Francesco Viola

Br J Ophthalmol published online August 1, 2017

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References This article cites 23 articles, 5 of which you can access for free at:
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