Correlation between retinal and pelvic vascular status: A determinant factor in patients undergoing pelvic irradiation for gynecologic malignancy

Abstract

The degree of arteriolar sclerosis in pelvic vessels has previously been shown to be related to the incidence of radiation-related enteric and genitourinary injury. Retinal vessel changes were compared to pelvic vascular changes in 48 patients, half of whom were either diabetic or hyptertensive. There was an absolute correlation between retinal vessel changes and bowel or cervicovaginal vessel changes in 74% of the cases, and only one patient had a marked (more than one grade) discrepancy between retinal and pelvic vascular status. The findings of this investigation suggest that funduscopic examination of the retina can provide useful information concerning the extent of vascular disease in structures normally present in the field of pelvic irradiation.