Large Retinal Capillary Aneurysm: A Delphi Consensus Study and Updated Nomenclature for a Signature Optical Coherence Tomography Lesion.

PURPOSE: To develop consensus nomenclature amongst international retinal specialists for the distinctive optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding of a lesion originating from the retinal capillary bed, measuring ≥100 µm in size, and characterized by a hyperreflective wall with a hyporeflective lumen.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed from inception to January 2024 on three databases to elicit publications reporting on relevant vascular abnormalities and corresponding nomenclature. A panel of retinal specialists with expertise in this topic reviewed the list of candidate terms and proposed other names for the lesion of interest. A refined list was then incorporated into a Delphi survey, which was distributed to the general membership of the International Retinal Imaging Society (IntRIS). Consensus was defined as at least 70% agreement amongst participants.

RESULTS

An expert panel (n=11) reviewed candidate names for the lesion, with poor agreement noted amongst panel members regarding the relevant nomenclature. In the first Delphi survey, (n=70 IntRIS members), the need for a unified nomenclature was highlighted and two leading candidate names were established: large retinal capillary aneurysm (LRCA, n=38, 54.3%) and retinal capillary macroaneurysm (n=14, 20.0%). A second follow-up survey (n=54 IntRIS members) established LRCA (n=44, 81.5%) as the consensus term to identify the OCT vascular abnormality.

CONCLUSION

This Delphi project reached consensus on a unifying term, large retinal capillary aneurysm, for a specific and signature OCT lesion. Identification of this characteristic OCT finding and adoption of this term may facilitate diagnosis, guide therapeutic decisions, and improve clinical and scientific communication.