Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma of the eye: Literature review and new findings

PURPOSE

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is an extremely rare, aggressive, multi-system disease that can affect the eye. We describe the ophthalmic presentation, multimodal imaging and treatment response of uveal IVLBCL.

METHODS

Review and case report.

RESULTS

Twenty-five published cases of IVLBCL involving the eye including our own were identified. Of these, 15 patients (60%) had clinically-detectable intraocular involvement, 6 (24%) had extraocular ophthalmic involvement only and 4 (16%) had subclinical, undiagnosed intraocular involvement that was retrospectively detected on post-mortem ocular histopathology. The male to female ratio was 1.08:1 with a mean presenting age of 65.1 ± 11.7 years (range 38-82 years). The majority of cases had bilateral involvement (21/25 patients, 84%). Extraocular manifestations included diplopia, ptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Intraocular manifestations included serous retinal detachment (13/28, 46%), retinal hemorrhages (9/28, 32%), vascular changes (9/28, 32%), retinal pigment epithelial changes (7/28, 25%), thickened choroid (6/28, 21%), vitritis (5/28, 17%), cotton-wool spots (3/28, 10%), and a subretinal lesion (1/28, 3%). Histopathological diagnosis was most commonly confirmed on post-mortem enucleation (8/25 patients, 32%), skin (6/25 patients, 24%) or brain biopsy (6/25 patients, 24%).

CONCLUSION

The presence of intra-retinal hemorrhages, cotton wool spots and/or Roth spots help differentiate IVLBCL from other similarly presenting diseases such as central serous chorioretinopathy and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. New signs not previously described in IVLBCL include macular bacillary layer detachment and hypo-cyanescent spots on ultra-wide field indocyanine green angiography. The diagnosis is elusive and requires tissue biopsy, but systemic chemotherapy and rituximab can lead to rapid improvement of the eye.

Multipurpose ultrasonographic characteristics of primary uveal MALT lymphoma

PURPOSE

To investigate the ultrasonographic features in patients with primary uveal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.

METHODS

Medical records of 12 patients (13 eyes) diagnosed with primary uveal MALT lymphoma between September 2014 and September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Ultrasonography, B-scan ultrasonography, color Doppler flow imaging, and ultrasound biomicroscopy findings were retrieved from the medical records.

RESULTS

Mean age of the included patients was 59.4 ± 8.6 years. Typical ultrasonographic features of the choroidal infiltrates were flat, diffuse, and thickened, with low and homogenous internal reflectivity and with rich arterial blood flow from posterior ciliary arterioles. The mean thickness of the choroidal infiltrates was 1.34 ± 0.68 mm (n = 13). Most of the affected eyes had posterior episcleral extensions, with a mean thickness of 1.66 ± 1.21 mm (n = 12). Typical crescent-like posterior episcleral extensions were detected in nine eyes (69.2%). In six eyes, the blood flow from the choroidal infiltrates communicated with the episcleral extensions. In the ciliary body, the mean thickness of the infiltrates was 1.08 ± 0.43 mm (n = 9), and seven eyes (77.8%) had 360° ring-like infiltrations. The initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly correlated with the final BCVA after treatment (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Multipurpose ultrasonographic imaging revealed the unique characteristics of the primary uveal MALT lymphoma and is helpful in the diagnosis of this rare disease.

[Clinical procedures for intraocular lymphomas]

BACKGROUND

The classification of intraocular lymphomas is based on their anatomical location. They are divided into uveal lymphomas with involvement of the choroid, ciliary body or iris and vitreoretinal lymphomas with isolated or combined involvement of the vitreous body and/or retina. Over the last decades it has become increasingly possible to work out the clinical and pathobiological features of the various subtypes, thereby reducing the diagnostic hurdles and creating improved treatment options.

OBJECTIVE

A summary of the various types of intraocular lymphoma in terms of clinical features, diagnostics, treatment and prognosis is given as well as recommendations for follow-up care.

METHODS

A selective literature search was carried out on the subject of intraocular lymphomas using PubMed and Google Scholar.

RESULTS

Intraocular lymphomas affect different structures, so that the symptoms can also be very different. The diagnostic spectrum ranges from typical ocular examination methods to sample biopsies with subsequent cytological, histological and molecular pathological processing. The treatment pillars available are percutaneous irradiation and intravitreal drug administration as local treatment and systemic treatment or a combination of systemic and local treatment. The prognosis depends mainly on the subtype of the lymphoma and the extent of the infestation when the diagnosis is confirmed. Even though some effective treatment options are now available, it has not yet been possible to significantly reduce the mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

Many different options are available for the diagnostics and treatment of intraocular lymphomas, which require close interdisciplinary cooperation. The further developments in the field of molecular pathology allow a faster and more accurate diagnosis and could open up new treatment options in the future.

Choroidal Lymphoma Discovered on Ultrasound in a Patient with Suspected Corneal Tumor

Background/Aims

To report the case of a 77-year-old male with a blind, painful eye, referred for suspected corneal mass, with finding of choroidal B-cell lymphoma on pathology of enucleated globe.

Methods

This is a retrospective case report of a single patient.

Results

A 77-year-old male with a longstanding history of poor vision in the left eye was referred for a scarred, vascularized corneal mass. The patient had reported occasional mild ocular discomfort in the left eye and loss of light perception over the last year. Visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and no light perception in the left eye. Intraocular pressure was 32 mm Hg in the left eye. Fundoscopic visualization was not possible due to corneal opacity. B-scan ultrasound showed an infiltrative, low-reflective choroidal lesion and inferior retinal detachment. Pathology from the enucleated globe revealed diffuse sheets of CD20+ small B cells replacing the choroid, characteristic of a low-grade small B-cell extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

Conclusion

This is an unusual presentation of choroidal lymphoma in an eye with severe corneal opacification and scarring, and underscores the diagnostic value of ultrasonography in examination of eyes without view to the posterior segment.