Abstract
An 82 year old patient was lost to follow-up having been diagnosed both clinically and on CT scan as having a right choroidal malignant melanoma. Twenty months later she presented with a painful right proptosis, dense cataract and raised intraocular pressure. A second CT scan showed orbital cellulitis with no evidence of the previous mass. Following enucleation histopathological examination revealed that the tumour had undergone total spontaneous necrosis. The implications of the CT scan findings are discussed. Five cases of necrosed choroidal malignant melanoma producing proptosis in the absence of extrascleral tumour extension have now been described.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Bernardino ME, Danzinger J, Young S, Wallace S : Computed tomograpahy in ocular neoplastic disease. Am J Roentgenol 1978, 131: 111–13.
Augsburger JJ, Peyster RG, Markoe AM, Guillet EG, Shields JA, Haskin ME : Computed tomography of-posterior uveal melanomas. Arch Ophthalmol 1987, 105: 1512–17.
Reese AB, Archila EA, Jones IS, Cooper WC : Necrosis of malignant melanoma of the choroid. Am J Ophthalmol 1970, 69: 91–104.
Zimmerman LE and McLean IW : Metastatic disease from untreated uveal melanomas. Am J Ophthalmol 1979, 88: 523–34.
Buckley CA and Cheng H : Intraocular melanoma, diabetes and Turner's syndrome: presentation with proptosis. Br J Ophthalmol 1981, 460–3.
Fraser DJ and Font RL : Ocular inflammation and haemorrhage as initial manifestations of uveal melanoma. Arch Ophthalmol 1979, 97: 1311–14.
Bujara K, von Domarus D, Hinzpeter EN : Nekrosen von iris unt ziliarkorper—eine histopathologische untersuchung. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 1982, 219: 198–203.
Wolter JR : Necrosis of choroidal melanoma in ciliary artery involvement with temporal arteritis. Br J Ophthalmol 1989, 73: 216–19.
Chambers RR, Davidorf FH, McAdoo JF, Chakeres DW : Magnetic resonance imaging of uveal melanomas. Arch Ophthalmol 1987, 105: 917–21.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lea, S., Livesey, S., Lowe, J. et al. Disappearance of ocular malignant melanoma on computerised scan after spontaneous necrosis: Clinical, radiological and pathological features. Eye 5, 748–750 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1991.137
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1991.137
