Ring melanoma of the ciliary body: clinical and ultrasound biomicroscopic characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Diagnosis of ring melanoma is clinically difficult since the mass can remain hidden with standard slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) as a diagnostic tool for ring melanoma of the ciliary body.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of 6 eyes of 6 patients at Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ont., with a diagnosis of ring melanoma of the ciliary body. The tumor extension was measured clinically, gonioscopically, ultrasonographically (by UBM), and pathologically.


RESULTS
Since 2000, 6 cases of ring melanoma have been diagnosed at Princess Margaret Hospital: 2 women and 4 men, median age 57 years. Five patients presented as uncontrolled hyperchromic glaucoma (83%). Ciliary body involvement on slit-lamp examination ranged from 60 to 180 degrees. Ciliary body involvement as assessed by UBM ranged from 180 to 300 degrees. Tumor extension according to pathological examination ranged from 210 to 360 degrees. With these measures, the ring melanoma clinical criteria were not filled by 5 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
UBM is an important tool in determining the extent of ciliary body involvement and classifying these lesions.
Vásquez
Luz M
LM
Department of Ocular Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. lumav@hotmail.com
Pavlin
Charles J
CJ
McGowan
Hugh
H
Yücel
Yeni
Y
Simpson
E Rand
ER
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology