Time-intensity curve of contrast agent in intraocular tumor diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Objective To observe the time-intensity curve characteristics of contrast agents in intraocular tumor.Methods A total of 236 patients (238 eyes) with intraocular tumor were enrolled in this study.All the patients received regular ophthalmologic examination,two dimensional ultrasound,color doppler ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.There were 166 patients (166 eyes) with choroidal melanoma,16 patients (18 eyes) with choroidal metastatic carcinoma,52 patients (52 eyes) with choroidal hemangioma,two patients (two eyes) with retinal hemangioma.The whole process of contrast-enhanced ultrasound were recorded, and exported as t images of Dicom format.These images were processed by Sonoliver software (Tomteck Company, Germany) to drawn the time-intensity curve of contrast agents in the intraocular tumors.Results All intraocular lesions were completely filled with contrast agent,concentric filling from the periphery to the center can be documented in some cases.The time-intensity curve of choroidal hemangioma and retinal hemangioma were basically the same.The time-intensity curve of choroidal melanoma and choroidal metastatic carcinoma were also basically the same.In the filling phase,all tumors were rapid filling type.In the regression phase,contrast agent subsided earlier than in control tissue within the melanoma or metastatic carcinoma lesions,but subsided synchronous or slightly faster than in control tissue within the choroidal hemangioma and retinal hemangioma lesions.Among 166 eyes with choroidal melanoma,138 eyes (83.1％) were in full compliance with the above changes,28 eyes (16.9％) were largely in line with these changes.All the eyes (100.0％) with choroidal metastatic carcinoma,choroidal hemangioma and retinal hemangioma were in full compliance with the above changes.Conclusion Time-intensity curve is quickly filling and fast regression for malignant intraocular tumors,but is quickly filling and slow regression for benign intraocular tumors. Key words: Eye neoplasms/diagnosis; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, doppler, color