Ultrasound biomicroseopic findings of ciliary body malignant melanoma

Background: Malignant melanoma of the uveal tract occurs rarely in Asian populations, and melanoma of the ciliary body is extremely rare. We treated an Asian man with uveal melanoma, relying on ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings for diagnosis and evaluation of the tumor. Case: A 65-year-old man with uveal melanoma was examined by slit-lamp microscopy, UBM, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and histopathological examinations were performed as well. Observations: Slit-lamp examination and MRI gave rough images of the tumor, but the exact origin and margin of the mass could not be determined. UBM clearly characterized the tumor as a medium echoic solid mass with acoustic hollowing attached to the ciliary body by a thin stem. Ciliary body detachment at the pars plicata was also found by UBM. Histopathological examination confirmed that the tumor was an epithelioid cell malignant melanoma of the ciliary body. Conclusions: UBM is useful in detecting, diagnosing, and evaluating a malignant melanoma of the ciliary body. (C) Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2004.