Doppelgänger dilemma: Leiomyoma versus uveal melanoma

Abstract Background Ciliary body tumors can remain undetected and achieve large dimensions. Pigmented ciliary body tumors include: melanoma, leiomyoma and melanocytoma, however correct diagnosis may require tissue diagnosis with immunohistochemical stains. Case presentation Two men presented with identical ciliochoroidal tumors. Both had darkly pigmented dome-shaped anterior uveal masses, exudative retinal detachments and transillumination shadowing. Ocular PET-CT imaging revealed that both were metabolically active consistent with a diagnosis of cancer. However, immunohistochemical examination revealed one a leiomyoma and the other melanoma. Conclusion Uveal leiomyoma can be an indistinguishable doppelganger to ciliochoroidal melanoma, where the diagnosis can only be established by immunohistopathology.