EFFICACY OF DOUBLE DOSE PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY FOR CIRCUMSCRIBED CHOROIDAL HEMANGIOMA.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy using a double dose of verteporfin for patients with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.

METHODS: This retrospective comparative case series evaluated data from 10 patients who were treated using double dose photodynamic therapy (12 mg/m) and seven patients who were treated using the standard dose (6 mg/m). A laser was applied with a radiant exposure of 50 J/cm. The ophthalmologic examinations were performed at baseline and 1 year after the treatment and included best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and B-scan ultrasonography.

RESULTS: The mean age in the double dose group was 51.60 years, compared with 50.57 years in the standard-dose group. The only significant difference between the two groups' baseline characteristics was observed in their initial tumor heights. Foveal center thickness, subretinal fluid, and subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased significantly at 1 year after treatment in both groups. Tumor height and the greatest linear dimension of the tumor's base only decreased significantly in the double dose group (P = 0.031). Both groups did not experience significant visual improvements.

CONCLUSION: Double dose photodynamic therapy was effective and safe for treating circumscribed choroidal hemangioma and provided better tumor regression with similar resorption of subretinal fluid, compared with standard-dose photodynamic therapy.