Purpose: 

To evaluate focal choroidal excavation (FCE) in eyes with various diseases using multimodal imaging modalities and to investigate the correlation of FCE and underlying chorioretinal diseases.

Methods: 

This retrospective observational study included 62 eyes from 56 patients who were identified by optical coherence tomography as having FCE. All included patients underwent comprehensive clinical examinations and multimodal imaging to identify and detect the characteristics of FCE and its correlation with underlying chorioretinal diseases.

Results: 

All included patients were of Chinese descent, and the median age at diagnosis was 43 years (range: 15–66). Seventy-three FCEs appeared in these included eyes. Most FCEs were formed at sites with anatomical changes caused by various chorioretinal diseases. Choroidal osteoma, punctate inner choroidopathy, and central serous chorioretinopathy were the most common etiologies of FCE. During follow-up, 14 eyes (22.58%) exhibited a pattern change and three eyes (4.84%) developed new-onset choroid neovascularization.

Conclusion: 

Focal choroidal excavation is a common sign found in a variety of chorioretinal diseases. Processes that involve impairment or tissue loss of the outer retina and inner choroid and disrupt the balance of intraocular pressure and choroidal pressure because of mechanical disturbance may play a role in FCE formation.

中文翻译：

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局灶性脉络膜切除术与潜在视网膜脉络膜疾病之间的相关性：临床观察的病理假设

目的： 

使用多模式成像模式评估患有各种疾病的眼睛的局灶性脉络膜开挖（FCE），并研究 FCE 与潜在脉络膜视网膜疾病的相关性。

方法： 

这项回顾性观察研究包括来自 56 名患者的 62 只眼，这些患者通过光学相干断层扫描被确定为患有 FCE。所有纳入的患者都接受了全面的临床检查和多模式成像，以识别和检测 FCE 的特征及其与潜在脉络膜视网膜疾病的相关性。

结果： 

所有纳入的患者均为华裔，诊断时的中位年龄为 43 岁（范围：15-66）。这些包括的眼睛中出现了 73 个 FCE。大多数 FCE 形成于由各种脉络膜视网膜疾病引起的解剖变化的部位。脉络膜骨瘤、点状内脉络膜病变和中心性浆液性脉络膜视网膜病变是 FCE 最常见的病因。随访期间，14眼（22.58%）出现模式改变，3眼（4.84%）出现新发脉络膜新生血管。

结论： 

局灶性脉络膜开挖是多种脉络膜视网膜疾病的常见体征。涉及外部视网膜和内部脉络膜的损伤或组织损失以及由于机械干扰而破坏眼内压和脉络膜压力平衡的过程可能在 FCE 形成中起作用。