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Understanding aneurysmal type 1 neovascularization (polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy): a lesson in the taxonomy of ‘expanded spectra’ – a review
Author(s) -
Dansingani Kunal K,
GalOr Orly,
Sadda Srinivas R,
Yannuzzi Lawrence A,
Freund K Bailey
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/ceo.13114
Subject(s) - neovascularization , terminology , taxonomy (biology) , choroidal neovascularization , medicine , ophthalmology , linguistics , angiogenesis , philosophy , biology , macular degeneration , botany
The term aneurysmal type 1 neovascularization is derived from terminology, which is established in the literature but has fallen out of use. We believe that aneurysmal type 1 neovascularization accurately describes the lesions which define the entity known as polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Over the last three decades, the clinical spectrum of PCV has expanded to recognize the occurrence of the aneurysmal (polypoidal) lesions in different contexts, resulting in a complex and unwieldy taxonomy based sometimes on circumstantial findings rather than mechanistic considerations. Advances in multimodal imaging provides increasingly convincing evidence that the lesions which define various forms of PCV are indeed vascular and arise from type 1 neovascular networks. The understanding of PCV as type 1 neovascularization with aneurysms renews focus on the question as to why some patients with type 1 neovascularization develop aneurysms while others do not. Conceptual themes and potential for further study are discussed.