Congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IMAGING OF A CONGENITAL SIMPLE HAMARTOMA OF THE RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM

PURPOSE

To report the case of a small pigmented tumor in the macular region investigated using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in the context of a multimodal approach.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 24-year-old man was referred for evaluation of an asymptomatic unilateral round comma-shaped pigmented tumor located in the macular region of his right eye. Spectral-domain OCT revealed an irregular hyperreflective mass within the retina, with a thickened hyaloid membrane and abrupt margins, and a complete posterior shadowing effect. On fluorescein angiography, early hyperfluorescence without leakage in the middle and late phases and a subtle halo of hyperfluorescence in the late phase were observed. OCT-A revealed the presence of intrinsic vascularization at the level of the inner capillary plexus, with signal intensity present at the level of the outer capillary plexus. In the superficial scans, the retinal vessels were oriented radially to the lesion and were in continuity with the vascular network within the tumor mass. No choroidal vessels could be identified.

CONCLUSION

We report the case of a congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium investigated using OCT-A as part of multimodal imaging. OCT-A provided a new insight in the assessment of the lesion, differential diagnosis, and follow-up of the patient. This imaging modality could be an important non-invasive tool in the management of congenital hamartomas of the retinal pigment epithelium.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Congenital Simple Hamartoma of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium: A Case Report

Background

Congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium (CSHRPE) is a rare benign tumor of the retinal pigment epithelium characterized by a focal, darkly pigmented nodule in the macular lesion in healthy persons. We report a case of CSHRPE with long-term follow-up.

Case

A 41-year-old Japanese woman was incidentally discovered to have a dark lesion on the fundus of the left eye. We evaluated the patient by measuring her best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus color photography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) over a 10-year period. The BCVA gradually declined during the early follow-up period, having decreased from 1.2 to 0.8 in the left eye 3 years after the initial examination, and then has been maintained for the following 7 years. The lesion did not show a change in OCT 10 years after the first examination.

Conclusion

It is important to follow a CSHRPE carefully over the long term because visual acuity might decrease.

Pigmented Lesions of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium

: The primary eye care practitioner assumes an important role in clinical decisions involving the differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant pigmented lesions. A misdiagnosis may have profound consequences on patient management and visual or life prognosis. However, information on these lesions, particularly their appearance using advanced imaging, is fragmented throughout the literature. The purpose of this review is to describe these features in detail, so that the implications of this information on clinical practice are more readily apparent. Clinically relevant descriptions of pigmented lesions of the retinal pigment epithelium using traditional and advanced imaging modalities in the literature were collated and integrated with findings from patients seen at the Centre for Eye Health. The information was then organized and tabulated. Finally, a flow diagram was created to be used as a clinical reference in the differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions of the retinal pigment epithelium.

Simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium with macular edema

PURPOSE

Presumed congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium (CSHRPE) is a rare intraocular finding that is described as a focal, nodular, jet black lesion. These lesions frequently occur at or near the macula and have no known association with changes in the surrounding neurosensory retina, retinal pigment epithelium, or choroid, nor have they been related with exudation or hemorrhage. Until now, there have been no cases reported of CSHRPE with associated vascular activity.

CASE REPORT

A 14-year-old Hispanic adolescent girl with a presumed CSHRPE presented with adjacent macular edema. The patient was treated with an off-label intravitreal bevacizumab injection to decrease the edema. Two months later, the patient presented with improved visual acuity and decreased macular edema.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first documented case of macular edema secondary to vascular activity being associated with these rare lesions. When CSHRPE is found to have secondary vascular activity and associated macula edema, treatment of intravitreal bevacizumab may lead to improved visual and anatomical outcomes.