Optical coherence tomography (OCT) to image active and inactive retinoblastomas as well as retinomas

Abstract

Purpose: To illustrate Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images of active and inactive retinoblastoma (Rb) tumours.

Methods: Current observational study included patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma and retinoma who were presented at Amsterdam UMC and Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, between November 2010 and October 2017. Patients aged between 0 and 4 years were imaged under general anaesthesia with handheld OCT in supine position. Patients older than 4 years were imaged with the conventional OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg Spectralis, Germany). All patients included were divided into two groups: active and inactive tumours (retinoma and regression patterns). Patients' medical records and OCT images were analysed during meetings via discussions by ophthalmologists and physicists.

Results: Twelve Dutch and 8 Swiss patients were divided into two groups: 2 patients with active tumour versus 18 patients with inactive tumour. Subsequently, inactive group could be divided in two groups, which consisted of 10 patients with retinoma and 8 patients with different regression pattern types. Of all included patients, 15 were male (75%). Median age at diagnosis was 18.0 months (range 0.19-715.2 months). A total of 12 retinoblastoma (active and inactive) and 8 retinoma foci were investigated by OCT. No distinction could be made between active and inactive tumours using only OCT.

Conclusion: Optical coherence tomography alone cannot distinguish between active and inactive Rbs. However, handheld OCT adds useful information to the established imaging techniques in the monitoring and follow-up of retinoblastoma patients. With this study, we provide an overview of OCT images of active and inactive Rbs.

Keywords: optical coherence tomography; paediatric oncology; regression patterns; retina; retinoblastoma; retinoma.