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Updated: May 26, 2026

Reconstruct Human Retinoblastoma In Vitro
Published on: October 11, 2022
Retinoblastoma presenting in a child with hypomelanosis of Ito
Tarek El-Sawy1, Lingmin He, Michael F Chiang
1Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Purpose:
To describe a case of a child with a known history of pigmentary mosaicism suggestive of Hypomelanosis of Ito presenting with unilateral leukocoria, who was ultimately diagnosed with retinoblastoma.
Methods:
A report of a 16-month-old girl with pigmentary mosaicism and unilateral retinoblastoma.
Results:
A previously healthy 16-month-old girl with a diagnosis of a mosaic hypopigmentation at the age of 6 months based on a linear and whorled pattern of skin hypopigmentation along the lines of Blaschko, presented with unilateral strabismus, leukocoria, retinal detachment, and sub-retinal exudation. Hypomelanosis of Ito and other similar neurocutaneous syndromes are known to be associated with abnormal retinal pigmentation, vascular abnormalities, and retinal detachment. Examination included a fluorescein angiogram, ultrasonography, and an MRI of the brain and orbits that demonstrated features consistent with retinoblastoma. Given these findings and a flat electroretinogram, the eye was enucleated with final pathologic confirmation of retinoblastoma.
Conclusions:
Previously unreported presentation of unilateral retinoblastoma in a child with pigmentary mosaicism.
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