Autofluorescence of intraocular tumours

Fundus autofluorescence is a noninvasive technique for evaluation of intrinsic autofluorescence of the tissues within the eye. In recent years, autofluorescence has become an important diagnostic tool for the assessment of various ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinal dystrophies. In this report, we review the recent literature on autofluorescence of intraocular tumours.

The autofluorescence features of intraocular tumours range from bright hyperautofluorescence to dark hypoautofluorescence. The fundus autofluorescence generally represents the status of the overlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Choroidal nevi typically have overlying hypoautofluorescence from chronic RPE atrophy as opposed to choroidal melanoma that exhibits hyperautofluorescence from overlying lipofuscin within RPE (orange pigment) and free fluorophores within fresh subretinal fluid. Choroidal metastases demonstrate overlying hyperautofluorescence that correlates to focal RPE accumulation of lipofuscin as well as subretinal fluid, particularly on the fresh advancing tumour margin. Choroidal haemangioma displays overlying hyperautofluorescence from lipofuscin within RPE and fresh subretinal fluid, but when choroidal haemangioma is chronic with resolved fluid, there is often overlying hypoautofluorescence from RPE atrophy. Congenital hypertrophy of the RPE is characterized by marked hypoautofluorescence of the RPE lesion and trace hyperautofluorescence within the lacunae.

Autofluorescence is a noninvasive, valuable diagnostic tool for assessment of intraocular tumours, based primarily on the effects on the overlying RPE. Some findings are strongly characteristic of certain tumours, particularly the bright hyperautofluorescence overlying small choroidal melanoma and the dark hypoautofluorescence of congenital hypertrophy of the RPE.