Intraocular malignant melanoma of the choroid presenting as orbital cellulitis

A Choroidal Melanoma With Ciliary Body Involvement in a Young Female

Choroidal melanoma with ciliary body involvement is rare, especially in young adults and Asians. Here, we report the case of a young, healthy Chinese woman who complained of decreased vision in the left eye for one week. Her ocular examination and imaging were suggestive of choroidal melanoma involving the ciliary body. The patient underwent enucleation of the left eye. Close monitoring was needed, as the involvement of the ciliary body in choroidal melanoma is associated with a high risk of metastasis.

Necrotic Uveal Melanoma Mimics Orbital Cellulitis: A Review

Background

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, often resulting in painless vision loss. We report a case of necrotic uveal melanoma presenting with orbital inflammation mimicking orbital cellulitis and present a comprehensive review of the literature and tabulation of reported cases.

Summary

Our review found 44 published reports of spontaneously necrotic uveal melanoma involving 55 patients. Of these reports, 26 patients (47%) presented with orbital cellulitis. Presenting symptoms of necrotic uveal melanoma with orbital cellulitis included proptosis (82.8%), pain (80.7%), vision loss (61.5%), and restricted extraocular movements (46.2%).

Key Messages

Uveal melanoma can rarely mimic orbital cellulitis. Autoinfarction and tumor necrosis causes secondary orbital inflammation. Intraocular malignancy must remain in the differential for patients with orbital inflammation and vision loss.

Aseptic orbital cellulitis: A master masquerade of intraocular malignancy

Sudden and extensive growth of intraocular tumors like retinoblastoma and choroidal melanoma may result in the clinical presentation of sterile or aseptic orbital cellulitis. In such masquerading situations, ocular and orbital imaging plays a significant role. The treatment with steroids may provide a rapid recovery from the aggressive orbital inflammation. However, a high index of suspicion is vital for apt diagnosis and timely management.

Necrotic uveal melanoma presenting as orbital cellulitis with intraocular hemorrhage: A case report

Purpose

To report a case of necrotic uveal melanoma presenting as orbital cellulitis with an intraocular hemorrhage.

Observations

A 61 year-old non-verbal male presented with a two-week history of right eyelid swelling and erythema unresponsive to antibiotics. In addition to these signs of orbital cellulitis, he presented with an opaque media precluding fundus visualization. He was later found to have a collar-button shaped mass consistent with uveal melanoma on B scan ultrasonography during an exam under anesthesia. The patient underwent enucleation with histopathology confirming a necrotic uveal melanoma.

Conclusion and Importance

This case demonstrates how necrotic uveal melanoma can present as orbital cellulitis and the importance of keeping the diagnosis on the differential.

Choroidal melanoma masquerading as orbital cellulitis

Orbital cellulitis is the most common subset of orbital inflammatory disease. We describe a patient with necrotic choroidal melanoma who presented with orbital cellulitis. MRI revealed a mass lesion suggesting intraocular melanoma with no extrascleral extension. There was no metastasis on positron emission tomography-CT scan. Enucleation with orbital implant was performed. Histopathological analysis of the specimen revealed intraocular necrotic melanoma with very few recognisable melanoma cells. The necrotic subtype is more commonly associated with extrascleral extension, distant metastasis and poorer prognosis than other melanoma types. Sterile orbital cellulitis may rarely be a manifestation of ocular tumours in adults, and a high index of suspicion should be maintained to rule out the same.

Orbital Cellulitis and Secondary Angle Closure: A Rare Presentation of Choroidal Melanoma

We describe a case of choroidal melanoma initially presenting with orbital cellulitis, fulminant conjunctival swelling, and secondary angle closure. Despite treatment with intravenous antibiotics, the patient's condition did not improve. With further investigations including ultrasound scan and magnetic resonance imaging, a high-density lesion was found within the globe. Characteristic imaging findings suggested a malignant origin and the lesion was found to be a melanoma on histopathological analysis.

Coexisting Phacoanaphylaxis and Choroidal Melanoma: An Unusual Intraocular Inflammation

PURPOSE

To describe an unusual case of panuveitis in coexisting choroidal melanoma and phacoanaphylaxis.

METHODS

Clinical records of the patient with intraocular melanoma and pathologic findings of the affected eye were reviewed. Composition of inflammatory infiltrates involving the tumor and lens was evaluated immunohistochemically.

RESULTS

Histologically, tumor showed a choroidal mixed cell type malignant melanoma with infiltration of inflammatory cells. The globe also showed typical features of phacoanaphylaxis, characterized by disruptions of the lens capsule with zonal granulomatous inflammation. The inflammatory infiltration revealed the predominant presence of both cytotoxic T cells and histiocytes in phacoanaphylaxis and intra-tumoral inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

The current clinico-pathologic case report suggests that a long standing intraocular melanoma can present with phacoanaphylaxis. The immunophenotype of the inflammatory infiltrates at both sites, lens and the tumor, is similar, cytotoxic T cells and histiocytes, favoring a common immune inflammatory process directed at the tumor and the lens.

Choroidal malignant melanoma with no extraocular extension presenting as orbital cellulitis

This report describes a patient with choroidal malignant melanoma presenting as orbital cellulitis without extraocular tumor extension. It is an interventional case report with histopathologic correlation. A 68-year-old male presented with a 3-day history of painful hyperemia and swelling in the right eye. The examination showed edematous eyelids, mechanical ptosis and chemosis with conjunctival injection. B-scan ultrasonography showed a mass with medium level echogenicity that filled the vitreous cavity. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a solid choroidal mass with hemorrhagic and inflammatory changes with no obvious extraocular extension. Due to these suggestive findings of choroidal melanoma the right eye was enucleated. A spindle cell choroidal melanoma including intense pigmentation and necrosis was confirmed by histopathological examination. Although rare; choroidal melanoma may present as orbital cellulitis, particularly when the tumor is necrotic.

Assessment and management of orbital cellulitis

Orbital cellulitis is a medical emergency requiring multidisciplinary team involvement. Early diagnosis and intervention is imperative to avoid serious complications. This article provides an evidence-based approach to the assessment and management of patients with orbital cellulitis.