PURPOSE: To study pre-operatively and post-operatively ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings of iris and ciliary body melanomas and correlate tumor extension (revealed by ultrasound biomicroscopy) with histopathology findings. METHODS: Prospective study of 5 patients with a clinical diagnosis of iris and ciliary body tumors. These patients were evaluated by ultrasound biomicroscopy before and after treatment with iridectomy or iridociclectomy. All specimens were sent for histopathologic study. Patients were followed-up for a minimum of 6 months when a new ultrasound biomi croscopy examination was performed. RESULTS: In this group of 5 patients, 3 were females and 2, males, age range from 32 to 64 years. All tumors were unilateral. Four patients presented an iridociliary tumor and one presented a lesion limited to the iris. In all cases ultrasound biomicroscopy was very helpful to determine surgical planning ensuring free surgical margins. Postoperative ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed no signs of tumor recurrence in all cases; 2 patients presented vitreous in the surgical wound, one with limited vitreous traction but no retinal detachment was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound biomicroscopy seems to be a reliable ancilliary method to diagnose iris and iridociliary tumors, plan surgical treatment and postoperative follow-up.
Ciliary body; Iris neoplasms; Iris neoplasms; Uveal neoplasms; Melanoma; Pigment epithelium of eye
