title: Combined pigment epithelial and retinal hamartoma: long-term follow-up of three cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHR-RPE) is a rare lesion at the level of the RPE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report 3 cases of CHR-RPE in otherwise healthy patients and discuss their clinical and instrumental characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical characteristics are usually diagnostic; however, echography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography are useful tools for appropriate diagnostic evaluation and accurate follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standardized echography is important in CHR-RPE's diagnosis because it permits exclusion of malignant lesions, preventing unnecessary enucleation, and is fundamental in follow-up.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Teresio
authors: T
authors: Avitabile
authors: Livio
authors: L
authors: Franco
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Reibaldi
authors: Manuela A
authors: MA
authors: Pulvirenti
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014792:Visual Acuity