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Updated: Mar 11, 2026
Implantation and Evaluation of Melanoma in the Murine Choroid via Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 2, 2022
[Diagnostic potential of optical coherence tomography for small choroidal melanomas]
A F Brovkina1, A S Stoyukhina2, I V Musatkina1
1Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 2/1 Barrikadnaya St., Moscow, Russian Federation, 123995.
Aim:
To investigate the sequence of OCT manifestations in choroidal melanoma (CM) with account to its growth.
Material And Methods:
A total of 28 CM patients were examined. Of them, 18 patients with early CM, 10 - with medium-sized CM. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 60.54±5.31 years. Tumor location was macular (15 eyes) or perimacular (13 eyes), its prominence varied from 0.98 to 4.9 mm and basal diameter - from 5.08 to 18.9 mm. Additionally to OCT, tumor autofluorescence was studied in all cases.
Results:
The sequence of OCT manifestations in CM has been investigated with account to its growth. Our findings include an early change in choroidal profile with often uneven configuration and a plateau in the most prominent part of the lesion. Along with changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), one could see signs of an initially local small neuroepithelial detachment (NED) with alterations in the photoreceptor layer. We have identified three types of photoreceptor damage. Destruction of all retinal layers (its morphofunctional disorder) indicates the transition of an early CM to a medium one. As to autofluorescence RESULTS: there were lipofuscin deposits in RPE cells detected in OCT scans that showed an evident hyperautofluorescence. The central part the tumor was notable for its hypoautofluorescence. The periphery of the lesion was hyperautofluorescent due to NED.
Conclusion:
Qualitative changes in the retina overlying choroidal melanoma develop early in the course of the disease, practically in the moment of the first shift of choroidal profile. Destruction begins with the RPE and neuroepithelium (detachment and structural changes). As the tumor grows, retinal architectonics gets irreversibly distorted: the tissue becomes thicker due to edema, cysts, and intraretinal deposits. This process is, of course, accompanied by changes in metric parameters of all retinal layers and the choroid within the area of interest.
Insights
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) reveals early retinal changes in choroidal melanoma (CM) as it grows. These changes, including RPE and neuroepithelial detachment, precede significant tumor growth and lead to irreversible retinal distortion.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Oncology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Choroidal melanoma (CM) is a rare intraocular malignancy.
- Understanding the early signs of CM is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a key imaging modality in ophthalmology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sequential optical coherence tomography (OCT) manifestations in choroidal melanoma (CM) correlated with tumor growth.
- To characterize the early structural and functional changes in the retina overlying CM.
Main Methods:
- Examined 28 patients with choroidal melanoma (CM) using OCT and fundus autofluorescence.
- Categorized patients into early (18) and medium-sized (10) CM groups.
- Analyzed tumor dimensions (prominence and basal diameter) and location (macular/perimacular).
Main Results:
- Early OCT findings include choroidal profile changes, uneven configuration, and plateau formation.
- Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and neuroepithelial detachment (NED) with photoreceptor layer alterations were observed.
- Three types of photoreceptor damage were identified; destruction of all retinal layers signifies transition to medium-sized CM.
- Autofluorescence revealed lipofuscin deposits (hyperautofluorescence) in RPE, hypoautofluorescence centrally, and peripheral hyperautofluorescence due to NED.
Conclusions:
- Qualitative retinal changes in CM develop early, coinciding with initial choroidal profile shifts.
- Retinal destruction initiates with RPE and neuroepithelium, progressing to irreversible architectural distortion, edema, and intraretinal deposits.
- Tumor growth significantly alters metric parameters of retinal layers and the choroid.
