Which term describes fundus lesions that emit light without injection of fluorescein?

Which term describes fundus lesions that emit light without injection of fluorescein?

• A. Hyperfluorescent
• B. Fluorescent
• C. Hypofluorescent
• D. Autofluorescent

Answer: (D)

Autofluorescent is the term because it describes tissue that emits light on its own when excited by light, without any injected dye. In the retina, this occurs due to intrinsic fluorophores like lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium. When you image autofluorescence, blue light excites these molecules and the emitted light highlights areas of RPE change or damage, even without fluorescein. The other terms imply fluorescence that depends on an injected dye (hyperfluorescent or hypofluorescent refer to how the dye’s signal changes, and simply fluorescent would not specify endogenous emission). So, lesions that emit light without injection are described as autofluorescent.

Autofluorescent is the term because it describes tissue that emits light on its own when excited by light, without any injected dye. In the retina, this occurs due to intrinsic fluorophores like lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium. When you image autofluorescence, blue light excites these molecules and the emitted light highlights areas of RPE change or damage, even without fluorescein. The other terms imply fluorescence that depends on an injected dye (hyperfluorescent or hypofluorescent refer to how the dye’s signal changes, and simply fluorescent would not specify endogenous emission). So, lesions that emit light without injection are described as autofluorescent.