Choroidal malignant melanoma in a 6-year-old girl without melanocytosis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of choroidal malignant melanoma in a child without ocular melanocytosis.


METHODS
A 6-year-old girl presented with misalignment of the right eye of a few weeks' duration. Visual acuity was counting fingers in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Ophthalmoscopy of the right eye revealed a well defined choroidal mass in the macular region measuring 10 mm in diameter with overlying subretinal fluid. Ultrasonography revealed that the mass was 10.1 mm thick with choroidal excavation. On the basis of clinical and ultrasonographic findings, the diagnosis was choroidal melanoma without ocular melanocytosis. The eye was enucleated.


RESULTS
Histopathologic examination revealed malignant melanoma of the choroid. There was not extrascleral extension.


CONCLUSIONS
Choroidal malignant melanoma can occur in young patients, even in the absence of melanocytosis.
From the *Retina Service, †Oculoplastics Service, and ‡Pathology Service, "Dr. Luis Sanchez Bulnes" Hospital, Asociacion Para Evitar la Ceguera en Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
Alejandra
A
Hitos-Fájer
Benjamin
B
Perez
Maximiliano
M
Gordon
Abelardo A
AA
Rodriguez-Reyes
Hugo
H
Quiroz-Mercado
Guillermo
G
Salcedo