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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Cell-Free DNA Extraction of Vitreous and Aqueous Humor Specimens for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma
Published on: January 12, 2024
Primary intraocular (retinal) lymphoma after ocular toxoplasmosis
Theodor C Sauer1, Sanford M Meyers, Defen Shen
1From the *Immunopathology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; †Retina Consultants, Des Plaines, Illinois; and ‡Retina Consultants, Libertyville, Illinois.
Purpose:
Toxoplasmosis gondii is a common worldwide parasite that presents in the eye with focal retinochoriditis and vitritis. Although it is rare, ocular toxoplasmosis has been linked to primary intraocular (retinal) lymphoma, which is mostly a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Methods:
An elderly female patient was treated for recurrent ocular toxoplasmosis, and because of progressive vitritis, a diagnostic vitrectomy was performed. Shortly afterward, she developed multiple brain lesions. Pathologic examinations of the vitreous specimen and cerebral tissues were conducted, including tests for T. gondii, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus DNA.
Results:
The patient initially responded to antitoxoplasmosis treatment but continued to have persistent vitritis. She was diagnosed with primary intraocular lymphoma, and a repeated magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebral lesions. Brain biopsy confirmed lymphoma. T. gondii DNA was found in malignant vitreous cells but was absent in the nonmalignant vitreous cells and brain lymphoma cells. The cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus genes were not found in any of the lymphoma cells.
Conclusion:
T. gondii may have played a role in lymphoproliferation and primary intraocular lymphoma development.
