AIM: To research and discuss the value and features of fluorescence fundus angiography(FFA)in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS: We selected 130 hospitalized diabetic patients suspected with diabetic retinopathy from January 2014 to February 2018 in our hospital. All patients underwent fundus photography and FFA examination. We analyzed the detected retinopathy. The reference was the clinical diagnosis, to calculate the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of fundus photography and FFA in diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy and to compare the diagnostic accuracy of fundus photography and FFA for different degrees of diabetic retinopathy. The FFA characteristics of diabetic retinopathy was analyzed. Kappa consistency test was used to analyze the consistency between the two diagnostic methods and the clinical diagnosis results.

RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FFA on diabetic retinopathy were 96.8%, 97.1%, 96.9%, all of which were above the fundus photography(P<0.05). The diagnostic accuracy of FFA in mild, moderate, severe diabetic retinopathy were 97.1%, 97.0%, 96.4%, all above the fundus photography without significance(P>0.05). The Kappa consistency test showed the consistency between the diagnosis results of FFA and clinical was good; and the consistency between the results of the clinical and fundus photography was only moderate. FFA test results showed that diabetic retinopathy were more visible in nasal retinal lesions and in the peripheral part from the optic disc, and intraretinal microvascular abnormalitie could be seen. In diabetic retinopathy, the number and distribution of retinal microangiomas, hemorrhagic spots, vein beads, and capillary non-perfusion zone were different. Some patients, before the formation of retinal microangiomas and hemorrhagic spots, had increased foveal thickness, focal cotton-wool spot and focal capillary non-perfusion zone.

CONCLUSION: FFA has high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. The consistency between FFA diagnosis and clinical diagnosis is strong. FFA has accurate diagnosis for suspected changes in fundus photography.