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Updated: Aug 30, 2026
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Gynecologic Cancer
Published on: April 17, 2012
Stereotactic radiotherapy of symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas
Tero Kivelä1, Mikko Tenhunen, Timo Joensuu
1Oncology and Vitreoretinal Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4 C, PL 220, FIN-00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.
Purpose:
To determine feasibility of low-dose stereotactic radiotherapy in the treatment of symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.
Design:
Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.
Participants:
Five consecutive patients with perifoveolar and peripapillary circumscribed choroidal hemangioma and visual symptoms from exudative retinal detachment.
Methods:
A dose of 20 Gy was delivered stereotactically with linear accelerator. Tumor dimensions were determined by B-scan ultrasonography.
Main Outcome Measures:
Resolution of subretinal fluid, best-corrected visual acuity, and reduction in tumor height.
Results:
Median tumor height at baseline was 2.8 mm (range, 2.0-4.2 mm). Two tumors were subfoveolar, two were juxtafoveolar, and one was extrafoveolar. Cystic macular edema and subretinal fibrosis were present in both eyes with subfoveolar tumor. Exudative retinal detachment resolved within a median of 5 months (response rate, 100%; 95% CI, 48%-100%). Median best-corrected visual acuity was 20/50 (range, 20/22-20/100) at diagnosis and 20/25 (range, 20/20-20/60) 20 months after treatment. Tumor height had decreased a median of 24% (range, 0%-31%) by 6 months and 29% (range, 9%-59%) by 20 months. Secondary retinal pigment epithelial mottling associated with tumor regression occurred in two patients. One eye developed a paracentral scotoma.
Conclusions:
Stereotactic radiotherapy can be targeted precisely enough to induce regression of subretinal fluid from circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.
