POSSIBLE ERRORS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF INTRAOCULAR TUMORS

Rationale: The article discusses difficulties in the differential diagnosis of intraocular tumors (IOT), particularly in cases of small choroidal melanoma. Despite a substantial number of publications dedicated to the diagnosis of intraocular tumors, difficulties in interpreting imaging methods, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), persist. Objective: to analyze the OCT patterns that have led to diagnostic errors. Methods: We analyzed the OCT results of 15 patients whose diagnosis of «choroidal hemangioma» was revised to «choroidal melanoma» in 11 cases or «progressive nevus» in 4 cases. The mean age at the time of IOT detection was 50.20±13.08 years (range: 35–79 years); the average tumor prominence was 2.22±0.82 mm (range: 1-3.6 mm), and the average diameter was 8.01±2.72 mm (range: 3.11–11.5 mm). A detailed analysis of the specific OCT patterns that led to diagnostic errors was conducted. Results and discussion: The characteristics of the identified OCT patterns that frequently caused diagnostic difficulties were thoroughly examined, such as cystic changes and the «subretinal cleft» phenomenon. Cases in which complex OCT patterns overlapped with both melanoma and hemangioma were also analyzed, reinforcing the need for a multimodal approach to the interpretation of imaging data. Conclusion: for accurate diagnosis and to avoid erroneous planning of treatment strategies, OCT should be evaluated within the context of the clinical picture and patient history.