External radiotherapy for circumscribed choroidal haemangiomas using a modified retinoblastoma technique

This report describes two cases of circumscribed choroidal haemangiomas involving the fovea, complicated by serous retinal detachment. Laser photocoagulation, generally accepted as the treatment of choice for choroidal haemangioma, was considered either to be of no visual benefit or a risk for jeopardizing vision further due to the subfoveolar lesions. Fractionated radiotherapy using a lens-sparing, modified retinoblastoma technique, was given, using circular fields of 15 mm diameter. The dose was 24 Gy in 8 fractions. In both eyes the retina reattached completely. The visual acuity improved markedly in the first, and was restored to the prior level in the second. Normalization of a high intraocular pressure was also achieved in the second case. We believe this method to be a reasonable and effective therapy for some choroidal haemangiomas after careful individual consideration.