Optical Coherence Tomography Enhanced Depth Imaging of Choroidal Tumors

PURPOSE: To describe the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features of choroidal tumors imaged using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) technique. DESIGN: Prospective observational case series. METHODS: One tumor each from 23 eyes of 23 patients was included. All the patients underwent clinical fundus photography, ultrasonography, and EDI SD-OCT. Qualitative characteristics (tumor outline, reflectivity and/or shadowing of choroidal layers, and detection of inner sclera) and quantitative characteristics (measurement of maximum tumor thickness and the largest tumor diameter) were assessed. RESULTS: Patients (male = 12) were categorized as: amelanotic choroidal nevus (4), melanotic choroidal nevus (9), choroidal melanoma (3), circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (3), and choroidal metastasis (4). In all cases, EDI SD-OCT was able to identify the tumor distinctly from the surrounding normal choroid. Qualitative analysis revealed: amelanotic nevi, homogenous and medium reflective band with visible choroidal vessels; melanotic nevi and choroidal melanomas, high reflective band in the anterior choroid with shadowing, and nonvisualization of choroidal vessels and inner sclera; choroidal hemangiomas, medium/low reflective band without shadowing; and choroidal metastasis, low reflective band in the deep choroid with enlargement of the suprachoroidal space. Maximum tumor diameter and thickness was measurable by EDT SD-OCT only in 10 cases that were <9.0 mm in diameter and <1.0 mm in thickness (undetectable by ultrasonography). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to obtain cross-sectional views of a variety of choroidal tumors using EDT SD-OCT. Small choroidal tumors nondetectable by ultrasonography can be objectively measured by this technique. (Am J Ophthalmol 2011;151:586-593. (C) 2011 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)