[MALT-type B-cell lymphoma masquerading as scleritis or posterior uveitis]

Abstract

Purpose: Diagnostic and therapeutic management of masquerade syndromes associated with MALT-type lymphoma.

Patients and method: We report the cases of three patients referred for acute or chronic severe loss of visual acuity. All of them suffered from uveitis or scleritis resistant to corticoid treatment. Each one had posterior uveitis associated with retinochoroidal infiltration, anterior scleritis associated with uveal effusion syndrome, or bilateral pan-uveitis associated with serous retinal detachment. Two patients had medical records of systemic malignancies. They underwent an extensive work-up. Search for an infectious, immune or malignant disease was negative but orbital imaging showed a posterior scleral thickening in all cases.

Results: Diagnosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) ocular lymphoma was assessed in all cases after scleral biopsy. Immunohistochemical analysis showed CD20(+) and CD5(-) scleral lymphocyte infiltrates. The three patients underwent chemotherapy associated with radiotherapy. Lesions were stabilized in the first case, whereas six lines of visual acuity improvement was noted in the second one, and full recovery was achieved after treatment in the third case.

Discussion: Clinical manifestations of this ocular lesion seem to be multiple, masquerading as different types of posterior uveitis or scleritis. In the three cases, we did found other systemic locations of MALT-type lymphoma. Diagnosis was mainly based on pathological analysis. Fast visual recovery in two cases demonstrated the importance of an early diagnosis and a specific treatment. All cases of chronic and corticoid-resistant posterior uveitis require a specialized radiological evaluation followed, if necessary, by multiple orbital biopsies.