Multimodal imaging of Hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy: a case report

Background To report the first Italian case of hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy complicated by macular neovascularization diagnosed through multimodal imaging. Case presentation An 11-year-old boy was referred to our Institution for bilateral maculopathy of unknown origin. Multimodal imaging helps the diagnosis of Juvenile Macular Dystrophy with Hypotrichosis (HJMD). Fundus examination showed several alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium and circular pigmented area of chorioretinal atrophy. Structural spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed some backscattering phenomenon with several alterations of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor layer in both eyes. Moreover, OCT showed hyperreflective lesion beneath the neuroepithelium in left eye. OCT angiography (OCT-A) revealed a pathologic neovascular network in choriocapillaris plexus, probably the result of a fibrovascular membrane. Multifocal electroretinograms (MfERGs) showed functional alterations in 12.22° of the central retina. In order to confirm the suspicion of HJMD, the child and both parents underwent genetic testing. Both parents resulted to be heterozygous healthy carriers of a single variation. Conclusion Multimodal imaging, in particular OCT-A, is a useful aid, along to clinical findings and genetics, for the diagnosis of inherited retinal dystrophies.