["Primary" reticulum-cellsarcoma of the retina. I. Clinico-pathologic study of 5 patients (author's transl)]

Between 1964 and 1974 a primary reticulum-cellsarcoma of the retina was diagnosed histologically in 5 patients (between 44 and 71 years), in one already clinically. The initial diagnosis had been "uveitis" (2), "panuveitis" (1), "iridocyclitis with central retinal artery occlusion" (1), and "chorioretinitis" (1). The usual antiinflammatory therapy was without effect in every instance. All patients showed neurological symptoms with cerebral manifestations. Twice the cerebral biopsies had been misinterpreted initially as "atypical glioblastoma multiforme", once as Neuro-Behçet. The disease progressed over a course of 2--10 years from the initial ophthalmic symptoms to death. A review of the literature is given and the differential-diagnosis to necrotizing forms of retinitis, dissiminated chorioiditis neoplastic processes of retina and uvea and degenerative diseases are discussed. The primary reticulum-cellsarcoma of the retina must be considered in the differential-diagnosis of uveitis or panuveitis if 1. there is progression in spite of the usual antiinflammatory therapy, 2. the initial infiltrations are seen in the deep layers of the sensory retina.