SUMMARY
The authors present the ecographic findings evaluated before and after treatment in fifty eight patients with clinical diagnosis of choroidal melanoma submitted to brachytherapy emphasizing the importance of serial U.S. evaluations in the control of tumor response to irradiation.
Changes in the pattern of internal reflectivity ocurred after treatment in 39.2% of patients.
Rupture of Bruch's membbrane was verifyed at diagnosis in 41.3% of patients and after therapy in 03 cases.
Choroidal excavation was found at diagnosis in 90.5% of patients with no change after treatment.
Retinal detachment presented by 72% of patients at diagnosis, disappeared in 38.8%, increased in 5.5% and remained unchanged in 38.8% of patients.
In relation to tumoral dimensions, it was observed that the tumor height reduced after therapy in 64% of patients, remained the same in 28% and increased in 8% of cases.
Vitreous hemorrhage ocurred only after treatment, in 05 patients (8.6%). Scleral and/or Tenon 's space oedema was seen only after treatment, in 76.3% of patients.
Scleral invasion by the tumor was suggested in 03 patients of whom 02 were histologically proven.