Spectrum of Syphilitic Chorioretinitis and Its Evolution Based on Multimodal Imaging

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe the different phenotypes of syphilitic chorioretinitis (SCR) and its clinical features in multimodal imaging (MI).

Methods

Complete ophthalmological examination and MI including spectral domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and fluorescein angiography (FA) were performed at diagnosis and during follow-up in patients diagnosed with SCR.

Results

17 eyes of 10 patients were included. Clinical phenotypes included acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinopathy (ASPPC), syphilitic outer retinitis (SOR) and punctate inner retinitis (PIR). Disruption of outer retinal layers were visible in all patients in SD-OCT. Inner retinal layers were only affected in PIR. FAF revealed macular hyperautofluorescence in all patients. FA showed maintained hyperfluorescence in ASPPC and SOR.

Conclusions

ASPPC, SOR and PIR are different phenotypes of syphilitic chorioretinitis and present common features in SD-OCT and FAF. MI provides useful information to help the clinician during diagnosis and follow-up of these entities.

KEYWORDS:

• Syphilitic chorioretinitis
• acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinopathy
• syphilitic outer retinitis
• punctate inner retinitis
• multimodal imaging

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.