Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
Implantation and Evaluation of Melanoma in the Murine Choroid via Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 2, 2022
Hemorrhagic choroidal melanoma
Patrick Oellers1, Natalie Wolkow2, Frederick A Jakobiec2
1Retina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Purpose:
To demonstrate the clinical pathologic correlation in a hemorrhagic choroidal melanoma.
Observations:
A 52 year old patient presented with a large choroidal mass associated with vitreous and retinal hemorrhage. The eye was enucleated and histopathology demonstrated epithelioid-type MART1 positive tumor cells consistent with choroidal melanoma. The tumor had broken through Bruch's membrane, which led to localized vascular compression with bleeding into the subretinal space, retina and vitreous.
Conclusions And Importance:
Choroidal melanoma rarely presents with hemorrhage. Tumor rupture through Bruch's membrane may result in a tourniquet effect on the tumor vasculature leading to massive hemorrhage, as in this case. A high level of clinical suspicion is required to make the diagnosis.
