Imaging the intraocular tumor

Abstract

Imaging the intraocular tumor is multi-modal, multi-purposed, evolving and essential in the detection, diagnosis and surveillance of intraocular tumors. The most useful modalities for imaging intraocular tumors are drawing, photography, ultrasound and optical coherence tomography. A primary purpose of imaging the intraocular tumor is to document its precise appearance (and that of its secondary effects) at a point in time, thus permitting sequential images to accurately document change. However, an equally important reason for imaging is to gather diagnostic information that cannot be obtained from ophthalmic examination alone. The specific utility of each available imaging modality depends on the patient, tumor and ability of the clinician to interpret the data produced.

Keywords::

• imaging
• optical coherence tomography
• photography
• tumor
• ultrasonography

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge and thank AE Fung for providing Figures 10B and 10F in referral.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Imaging of the intraocular tumor is best when multi-modal.

• Understanding the utility of each type of available imaging modality for a specific intraocular tumor and the ability to expertly interpret the images provided is essential.

• Fundus drawing remains an important method of imaging intraocular tumors in contemporary medicine for select cases.

• Many different types of Ophthalmic photography is the most common imaging modality for intraocular tumors – many types exist.

• Ultrasonography is essential in that it provides data that cannot be obtained from ophthalmoscopy or other methods.

• Optical coherence tomography is a relatively new imaging modality that continues to evolve and whose utility has already been established for many types of intraocular tumor.

• Fluorescein angiography and A-Scan ultrasonography may not be as useful as traditionally taught for many types of tumor.

• As new ophthalmic imaging methods develop, their use for imaging intraocular tumors will be explored.