Computed tomography of retinoblastoma

Abstract

Retinoblastoma is the most common primary malignant intraocular tumor in children. The clinical features are leucocoria and/or strabismus. The ophthalmic diagnosis is straight forward in clear eye media with a white gray mass in the fundus. With opaque ocular media, other diagnostic procedures such as CT and ultrasonography are important. In the present study the results of CT examinations of 23 patients with histologically proven retinoblastomas are presented. The mean age of the patients was two years. The characteristic CT finding is a partly calcified intravitreous mass lesion mostly confined within the eyeball. Two cases showed retrobulbar extension and two intracranial tumor extension. No metastasis was found in the brain, liver, spleen, long bones, chest or skull. The radiologic screening procedures for retinoblastoma metastasis are discussed. In patients suspected to have a retinoblastoma, it is recommended to perform CT of the orbits and brain in order to detect the tumor and its possible retrobulbar and intracranial extension.