Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate and compare the role of imaging techniques in the diagnosis and follow up of iris lesions.
Methods: :
Retrospective noncomparative review of 30 eyes of 28 patients, which were imaged by both anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc, CA) & ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM; Sonomed Inc, Lake Success, NY) for an average of 17.9 months (range 2.0 to 35.3 months). Images were evaluated based on ability of the imaging techniques to completely visualize the iris lesions.
Results: :
The iris pathology cases comprised of cysts (n = 14), masses (n = 11) and/or nevi (n = 5). UBM visualized the full extent of iris pathology in all 30 eyes compared to only 9 eyes by AS-OCT (30.0%). Specifically, AS-OCT identified 8 out of 15 stromal lesions (53.3%) but only 1 of the 15 lesions past the pigmented iris epithelium (6.7%). AS-OCT also failed to identify lesions involving the ciliary body. However, AS-OCT offered better resolution and additional information in patients with lesions involving the angle.
Conclusions: :
Iris pathology should be preferentially imaged by UBM to ensure complete visualization of lesions and to rule out ciliary body involvement. UBM is invaluable in accurately visualizing the posterior iris and the ciliary body, and in the serial evaluation of the progression of iris lesions. AS-OCT remains a useful adjunct to UBM and an objective tool for angle assessment.
Keywords: imaging/image analysis: clinical • iris • tumors