Fluorescein Angiographic Findings after Intra-arterial Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma

• Published in: Ophthalmology (Rochester, Minn.) Vol. 119; no. 4; pp. 843 - 849
• Main Authors: Bianciotto, Carlos, MD, Shields, Carol L., MD, Iturralde, Juan C., MD, Sarici, Ahmet, MD, Jabbour, Pascal, MD, Shields, Jerry A., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.04.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Carboplatin - administration & dosage; Cardiovascular system; Child; Child, Preschool; Choroidal Neovascularization - chemically induced; Choroidal Neovascularization - diagnosis; Female; Fluorescein Angiography; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Melphalan - administration & dosage; Miscellaneous; Ophthalmic Artery; Ophthalmology; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Retinal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Retinal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Retinal Neovascularization - chemically induced; Retinal Neovascularization - diagnosis; Retinal Vessels - drug effects; Retinoblastoma - diagnosis; Retinoblastoma - drug therapy; Retinopathies; Retrospective Studies; Tumors and pseudotumors of the eye, orbit, eyelid, lacrimal apparatus; Human; Nervous system diseases; Retinopathy; Radiodiagnosis; Angiography; Malignant tumor; Artery; Eye disease; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Fluorescein; Ophthalmology; Retinoblastoma; Child; Cancer
• ISSN: 0161-6420; 1549-4713
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2011.09.040

Purpose To evaluate fluorescein angiography (FA) findings after intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) for retinoblastoma. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients. Intervention Fifty-five IAC procedures for delivery of melphalan 5 mg and possible carboplatin 30 mg. Main Outcome Measures Vascular flow of iris, retina, and choroid after IAC. Results All patients received melphalan 5 mg, whereas the first 6 patients also were treated with additional carboplatin 30 mg. The IAC was performed as primary treatment in 17 eyes and as secondary treatment (after systemic chemotherapy) in 7 eyes. Two patients also received external-beam radiotherapy before IAC. At presentation, FA revealed neovascularization of the iris (NVI) in 8 eyes, and after IAC, complete NVI regression was noted in 5 eyes (63%). After a mean follow-up of 13 months after IAC, FA depicted the main tumor with decreased fluorescence in 22 eyes (92%). After 55 ophthalmic artery catheterizations, retinal vascular abnormalities by FA were detected in 7 eyes (13%) and choroidal vascular abnormalities were detected in 6 eyes (11%). The retinal abnormalities included ophthalmic artery obstruction (n = 1), transient ophthalmic artery spasm (n = 1), central retinal artery obstruction (n = 1), branch retinal artery obstruction (n = 2), and peripheral retinal ischemia (n = 2). Additional retinal neovascularization was found in 1 patient. The choroidal abnormalities included sector (n = 5) or diffuse (n = 1) choroidal nonperfusion. New-onset iris neovascularization was found in 2 patients. Retinal vascular abnormalities were diagnosed after median of 1 month after the first IAC, whereas choroidal vascular abnormalities were found after median of 5 months after the first IAC. Conclusions Fluorescein angiography suggests that vascular perfusion to the retina and the choroid can be compromised after IAC for retinoblastoma. The most common vascular abnormality was choroidal sector or diffuse nonperfusion. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.