Measurement of Choroidal Melanoma Basal Diameter by Wide-Angle Digital Fundus Camera: A Comparison with Ultrasound Measurement

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the measurement of the basal diameter of choroidal melanoma, an important parameter for planning treatment and as a prognostic factor, by standardized ophthalmic ultrasound versus that obtained using a wide-angle fundus camera. Methods: The longest and shortest basal diameters of 104 consecutive choroidal melanomas of patients seen at the ocular oncology service of the Hadassah University Hospital were measured by B-scan ultrasound and compared with those measured by a wide-angle fundus camera (Panoret-1000). Each diameter was measured thrice by two ophthalmic photographers, and intra-observer and interobserver reproducibility were calculated as well. Results: The measurements of both the long and short diameters of the choroidal melanomas were significantly larger when measured by Panoret-1000 as compared with the B-scan ultrasound. There was no significant difference among the three measurements of each of the photographers. The interobserver reproducibility between the two photographers was high. Conclusions: Our findings can be attributed to the larger extent of the pigmentation of the melanoma compared to its recognized elevation. Since pigmentation of choroidal melanoma is easier to recognize than its elevation, we assume that measurement by a wide-angle fundus camera is more accurate in pigmented tumors, and should be adopted for measuring the basal diameter of choroidal melanomas in planning treatment and follow-up.

Ultra-Widefield Retina Imaging: Principles of Technology and Clinical Applications

“…The first panoramic fundus pictures were made from a montage of 19 photographs using a movable fixation light to enable the acquisition of 96° fundus images [4]. Contact lens-based systems, including Pomerantzeff camera [5], Panoret-1000 [6], RetCam [7], and Staurenghi lens [8], provide up to 160° panoramic photographs. However, these methods require exact patient alignment, good pupillary dilation, and a skilled photographer, thus their use is impractical in clinical practice.…”

A comprehensive review of diagnostic imaging technologies to evaluate the retina and the optic disk

“…A study of 104 consecutive melanomas using the Panoret-1000 compared the measurements of the basal diameters of tumors with imaging versus ultrasound and revealed that the diameters were larger with photography than with ultrasound [52].…”

Imaging of retinal and choroidal vascular tumours

“…14 The Panoret-1000 (Medibell Medical Vision Technologies, Ltd., Haifa, Israel) combines a contact wide-angle camera with a fiberoptic light source that is placed on the sclera. 9,15 It produces excellent pictures with high resolution and natural colours, and has successfully been deployed in ocular oncology centres. 9,15 At the time of writing this article, the Panoret-1000 is no longer commercially available.…”

“…9,15 It produces excellent pictures with high resolution and natural colours, and has successfully been deployed in ocular oncology centres. 9,15 At the time of writing this article, the Panoret-1000 is no longer commercially available.…”