Choroidal malignant melanoma with no extraocular extension presenting as orbital cellulitis

This report describes a patient with choroidal malignant melanoma presenting as orbital cellulitis without extraocular tumor extension. It is an interventional case report with histopathologic correlation. A 68-year-old male presented with a 3-day history of painful hyperemia and swelling in the right eye. The examination showed edematous eyelids, mechanical ptosis and chemosis with conjunctival injection. B-scan ultrasonography showed a mass with medium level echogenicity that filled the vitreous cavity. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a solid choroidal mass with hemorrhagic and inflammatory changes with no obvious extraocular extension. Due to these suggestive findings of choroidal melanoma the right eye was enucleated. A spindle cell choroidal melanoma including intense pigmentation and necrosis was confirmed by histopathological examination. Although rare; choroidal melanoma may present as orbital cellulitis, particularly when the tumor is necrotic.