title: Three-dimensional spectral domain optical coherence tomography and light microscopy of an intravitreal parasite.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various imaging modalities play a role in diagnosing parasitic infections of the eye. We describe the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings of an intravitreal parasite with subsequent evaluation by light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This is a case report of a 37-year-old Ecuadorian man who presented with uveitic glaucoma and a new floater in his left eye for 1 week's duration. Full ophthalmic examination revealed an intravitreal parasite. Color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography (FA), ocular ultrasonography (US), and SD-OCT were performed. The parasite was removed via 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and sent to pathology for evaluation. Color fundus photography and ocular ultrasonography demonstrated an elongated foreign body within the vitreous above the retina. FA demonstrated minimal vascular changes in the vicinity of the parasite. SD-OCT was utilized to visualize the parasite and to create a three-dimensional (3D) image. The parasite was determined to be most consistent with Gnathostoma spp. by morphologic analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first reported case of SD-OCT of an intravitreal parasite with corresponding evaluation by pathology. SD-OCT allows non-invasive, high-resolution visualization and 3D reconstruction of parasitic anatomy which may help establish tomographic criteria for species identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. azizkhanifar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Khanifar
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. mj.espiritu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Espiritu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. janesmyung@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. aaker.grant@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Grant D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Aaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. ans9112@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Audrey N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Schuetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. djd2003@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. rvpchan@uic.edu.|Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. rvpchan@uic.edu.
authors.forename: R V Paul
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Chan
keywords: Gnathostoma; Gnathostomiasis; Ophthalmomyiasis; Optical coherence tomography; Parasitic infection; Retinal imaging