Orbital Development in Children with Retinoblastoma: An Imaging-Based Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To examine whether children treated for Retinoblastoma (Rb) have impaired orbital development.

Methods

A retrospective case series was performed among children with Rb treated at a single medical center from 2004 to 2020. Orbital volumes and measurements were assessed by 3-dimensional image processing software. The main outcome measures were differences in orbital growth between Rb and non-Rb eyes assessed at last follow-up.

Results

Among 44 patients included (mean age 16.09 ± 18.01 months), a positive correlation between age and orbital volume was observed only in the uninvolved, healthy eyes (p = .03). In unilateral cases, orbital growth in the horizontal, vertical, and depth planes was smaller on the affected side compared to the healthy eyes (p < .05). Orbits that underwent enucleation showed decreased growth over time compared to those treated conservatively (p = .017).

Conclusions

Orbital growth rate is slower in the orbits of children treated for Rb compared to healthy orbits. Enucleation negatively affects orbital growth.

KEYWORDS:

• Orbital growth
• orbital volume
• retinoblastoma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Can be retrieved upon request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.