Anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy in iris and ciliary body...

Differentiation of iris and ciliary body lesions as benign or malignant and cystic or solid is important. The aim of this study was to compare anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography (AS SS-OCT) and ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings in iris and ciliary body tumors.

Forty-two eyes of 38 cases with iris and ciliary body tumors imaged with UBM and AS SS-OCT between September 2018 and September 2023 were evaluated retrospectively.

Of 42 eyes, 14 had melanoma, 14 iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cysts, 7 nevi, 3 Lisch nodules, 2 iris stromal cysts, 1 pars plana cysts, and 1 iris mammillations. An equivalent (100%) visualization of the anterior tumor margin was obtained with both techniques. Compared to AS SS-OCT, UBM was superior for posterior margin visualization in melanocytic tumors and IPE cysts. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated good agreement between UBM and AS SS-OCT for melanocytic tumors < 2.5 mm in base diameter and < 2 mm in thickness.

Although, UBM is the gold standard for ciliary body and iridociliary tumors. AS SS-OCT should be considered as an excellent alternative to UBM, especially in minimally elevated iris lesions.