title: Cytologic diagnosis of ocular melanocytoma: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pigmented lesions of the eye represent a challenging field from both clinical and pathologic approaches. The importance of a correct diagnosis in this case is enhanced by the delicate structures involved and their difficult accessibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 51-year-old man with acute vision loss and the feeling of a foreign body in the left eye diagnosed with vitreous hemorrhage. A small, pigmented lesion in the proximity of optic nerve head was detected. After a 9-year follow-up, a definitive diagnosis of melanocytoma was achieved in vitrectomy cytology. Smears showed a population of plump, cohesive melanocytes and elongated cells with cytoplasmic melanin and uniform rounded nuclei. No change in the lesion has occurred 3 years after vitrectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fine needle aspiration proved to be helpful and reliable for the correct diagnosis of melanocytoma, which does not require additional treatment.
authors.affiliation: Cytopathology Section, Department of Pathology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Spain.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saro
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clua
authors.forename: Eulalia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esteva
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adán
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lerma
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*