title: Experimental differentiation of intraocular masses using ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance imaging--a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The case reports presented here were compiled to demonstrate the potential for improved diagnosis and monitoring of disease progress of intraocular lesions using ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) at 7.1 Tesla.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-resolution ex vivo ocular magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired on an ultrahigh-field MR system (7.1 Tesla, ClinScan, Bruker BioScan, Germany) using a 2-channel coil with 4 coil elements and T2-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences of human eyes enucleated because of different intraocular lesions. Imaging parameters were: 40×40 mm field of view, 512×512 matrix, and 700 µm slice thickness. The results were correlated with in vivo ultrasound and histology of the enucleated eyes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Imaging was performed in enucleated eyes with choroidal melanoma, malignant melanoma of iris and ciliary body with scleral perforation, ciliary body melanoma, intraocular metastasis of esophageal cancer, subretinal bleeding in the presence of perforated corneal ulcer, hemorrhagic choroidal detachment, and premature retinopathy with phthisis and ossification of bulbar structures. MR imaging allowed differentiation between solid and cystic tumor components. In case of hemorrhage, fluid-fluid levels were identified. Melanin and calcifications caused significant hypointensity. Microstructural features of eye lesions identified by MRM were confirmed by histology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the potential of MRM for the visualization and differential diagnosis of intraocular lesions. At present, the narrow bore of the magnet still limits the use of this technology in humans in vivo. Further advances in ultrahigh-field MR imaging will permit visualization of tumor extent and evaluation of nonclassified intraocular structures in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald University Hospital, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald University Hospital, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosten
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimpfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guthoff
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald University Hospital, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Sönke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langner
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stachs
mesh_terms: D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D000098943:Uveal Melanoma