[Tyndallometry for follow-up of iodine-125 brachytherapy of uveal malignant melanomas. Report of 2 patients].

BACKGROUND

Previous studies that used the noninvasive laser flare-cell meter (LFCM) have demonstrated impairment of the blood-aqueous barriers in eyes with uveal melanoma. Herein we report the use of the LFCM in the follow-up of brachytherapy in 2 patients after radiation therapy with iodine 125 for choroidal melanoma.

CASE REPORT

Two women (59-and 57-years-old) with choroidal melanoma who were treated with iodine 125-plaque, were followed-up for 24 and 36 months, respectively. Complete ophthalmological examination including tyndallometry and echography were performed regularly. Following radiation, patient 1 showed decreasing flare values, that returned to normal level one year after radiation (5.9 photon counts/ms). The decrease in flare values correlated with fundoscopic and ultrasonographic signs of tumor regression. After 14 months, flare values suddenly increased up to 15 photon counts/ms, and fluorescein angiography revealed signs of radiation retinopathy. In patient 2, flare values (18.0 photon counts/ms) did not decrease after radiation but showed further increase one year after radiation (39.0 photon counts/ms). Slitlamp biomicroscopy revealed segmental iris neovascularization from 6 to 9 hours, corresponding to the site of the previous plaque application.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurement of aqueous flare with the LFCM appears to be a useful ancillary diagnostic method in following patients after radiation therapy for uveal melanoma. In eyes that show an increase of aqueous flare months or years after radiation therapy, recurrence of the tumor, radiation retinopathy and iris neovascularization should be excluded.