Multimodal imaging characteristics of combined hamartoma of retina and retinal pigment epithelium

Objective

To observe the multimodal imaging characteristics of combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHRRPE).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted.Sixteen eyes of 16 patients with CHRRPE were enrolled in Second People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province from March 2013 to July 2019.Fundus color photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and multicolor imaging were performed in all patients.The multimodal imaging characteristics were analyzed.This study protocol adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by an Ethics Committee of Second People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province (No.20130106). Written informed consent was obtained from patients or their guardians prior to any medical examination.

Results

Tumors were located in the posterior optic disc, and translucent glial lesions with unclear borders and slight elevations were observed.The surface of the lesions was attached by different degrees of fibroproliferative membrane, and the adjacent vessels were twisted and dilated.The tumors presented flat bulging green reflexes on the retina at the posterior pole by multicolor imaging, and OCT image showed thickened optic disc and retina near the optic disc, structural disorder, high reflectance of the surface, and low reflectance of the deep retina below the periretinal membrane.OCTA showed irregular blood flow signals, and the signal of retinal blood vessels was twisted and dilated.FAF showed that the autofluorescence intensity of tumors was weakened to different degrees.Early lesions presented different degrees of blocked fluorescence in FFA.Deformed and tortuous blood vessels were found in the eyes, and telangiectasia showing needle-like punctate strong fluorescence leakage was observed in severe eyes by FFA.ICGA showed no abnormal choroidal vessels.

Conclusions

The main imaging features of CHRRPE include abnormal retinal blood vessels in the tumor area and fibrous proliferative membranes on the surface in color image; OCT shows that the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium are involved, and the retina in the tumor is thickened with disordered structure; high reflection OCTA shows irregular internal blood flow signals inside the tumor; FFA examination shows fluorescence obscuration and obviously tortuous retinal blood vessels.Multimodal imaging examinations are helpful for the diagnosis of CHRRPE.

Retinal diseases; Multimodal imaging; Diagnosis; Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium