Medulloepithelioma of the Ciliary Body

Abstract

Intraocular medulloepithelioma is an uncommon embryogenic neoplasm of neuroepithelial origin that usually develops from the nonpigmented epithelium of the ciliary body, retina, and optic nerve. 1 Clinically, medulloepithelioma usually appears as a tumor of the ciliary body; only rarely does it arise in the optic nerve and retina. It frequently occurs on the ciliary body of a young child as a fleshy gray or pink mass, which, on examination using slit lamp biomicroscopy, often reveals cysts. These cysts impart an irregular shape to the tumor surface. 1 , 2 The tumor tends to be locally aggressive and can invade adjacent intraocular structures, but it rarely metastasizes. 1 , 3 The utility of conventional echography in the diagnosis of medulloepithelioma has been established, 4 but, to our knowledge, no reports have been published describing the ultrasonographic biomicroscopic features of medulloepithelioma. Ultrasonographic biomicroscopy (UBM) is an ideal method to analyze the anterior segment 5 ; it allows an accurate assessment of iris and ciliary body tumors, including size, tumor margins, and internal characteristics. 6 - 8 Moreover, UBM can help with the differential diagnosis of ocular tumors. In this report, we describe the UBM characteristics of medulloepithelioma.