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Diagnostic procedures in vitreoretinal lymphoma
Monica Dalal1, Megan Casady, Emily Moriarty
1National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , United States .
Purpose:
To evaluate the type and number of diagnostic interventions needed to confirm the presence of vitreoretinal lymphoma.
Method:
Chart review of interventions performed for diagnosis of vitreoretinal lymphoma.
Results:
Of the 27 cases, diagnosis was made by pars plana vitrectomy in 13 (48.1%), vitreous tap in 2 (7.4%), anterior chamber tap in 1 (3.7%), chorioretinal biopsy in 2 (7.4%), brain biopsy in 5 (18.5%), and cerebrospinal fluid cytology via lumbar puncture in 4 (14.8%). Ten (37%) had definitive results on the first procedure, and 17 (63%) had at least one false negative. Vitrectomy was the most common procedure performed. Patients required a mean of 2.1 procedures. Average time from onset of symptoms to confirmed histopathologic diagnosis was 13.9 months.
Conclusion:
Vitreoretinal lymphoma is difficult to recognize and requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. It often takes more than one invasive procedure to make the diagnosis.
