Biomaterial Database

Confocal microscopy in posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy. 1999

A G Chiou, and S C Kaufman, and R W Beuerman, and D Maitchouk, and H E Kaufman

Louisiana State University Eye Center, New Orleans, LA 70112-2234, USA.

OBJECTIVE To report the distinguishing characteristics of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPMD) using confocal microscopy. METHODS Two consecutive patients with PPMD were prospectively examined using a white-light tandem scanning confocal microscope with a 24x/0.60 contact objective. RESULTS At the level of Descement's membrane, roundish hyporeflective images were found in 1 patient. In the other patient, hyporeflective bands were detected. In both patients, patchy hyperreflective areas were identified. CONCLUSIONS Confocal microscopy may allow diagnosis of PPMD by demonstrating the alterations in Descement's membrane. This technique is especially valuable in cases of endothelial decompensation, where slit-lamp and specular microscopy may fail to demonstrate changes in Descement's membrane.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D003317	Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary	Bilateral hereditary disorders of the cornea, usually autosomal dominant, which may be present at birth but more frequently develop during adolescence and progress slowly throughout life. Central macular dystrophy is transmitted as an autosomal recessive defect.	Corneal Dystrophies,Granular Dystrophy, Corneal,Groenouw's Dystrophies,Macular Dystrophy, Corneal,Stromal Dystrophies, Corneal,Corneal Dystrophy,Corneal Dystrophy, Hereditary,Corneal Granular Dystrophies,Corneal Granular Dystrophy,Corneal Macular Dystrophies,Corneal Macular Dystrophy,Corneal Stromal Dystrophies,Corneal Stromal Dystrophy,Dystrophy, Corneal,Dystrophy, Corneal Granular,Dystrophy, Corneal Macular,Dystrophy, Corneal Stromal,Dystrophy, Hereditary Corneal,Groenouw Dystrophies,Groenouws Dystrophies,Hereditary Corneal Dystrophies,Hereditary Corneal Dystrophy,Stromal Dystrophy, Corneal
D003886	Descemet Membrane	A layer of the cornea. It is the basal lamina of the CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM (from which it is secreted) separating it from the CORNEAL STROMA. It is a homogeneous structure composed of fine collagenous filaments, and slowly increases in thickness with age.	Lamina Elastica Posterior,Descemet's Membrane,Descemet Membranes,Descemets Membrane,Elastica Posterior, Lamina,Elastica Posteriors, Lamina,Lamina Elastica Posteriors,Membrane, Descemet,Membrane, Descemet's,Membranes, Descemet,Posterior, Lamina Elastica,Posteriors, Lamina Elastica
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D014741	Video Recording	The storing or preserving of video signals to be played back later via a transmitter or receiver.	Audiovisual Recording,Videorecording,Audiovisual Recordings,Recording, Audiovisual,Recording, Video,Recordings, Audiovisual,Recordings, Video,Video Recordings,Videorecordings
D018613	Microscopy, Confocal	A light microscopic technique in which only a small spot is illuminated and observed at a time. An image is constructed through point-by-point scanning of the field in this manner. Light sources may be conventional or laser, and fluorescence or transmitted observations are possible.	Confocal Microscopy,Confocal Microscopy, Scanning Laser,Laser Microscopy,Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy,Laser Scanning Microscopy,Microscopy, Confocal, Laser Scanning,Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy,Confocal Microscopies,Laser Microscopies,Laser Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Confocal,Microscopies, Laser,Microscopies, Laser Scanning,Microscopy, Laser,Microscopy, Laser Scanning,Scanning Microscopies, Laser,Scanning Microscopy, Laser