Choroidal Melanoma - Partially Regressed After Iodine 125 Plaque Therapy

Please look at the Normal Fundus photo first to provide a basis for comparison. In this photo, the slate gray lesion under the macula is the regressed choroidal melanoma. The yellow ring over its surface is a collection of lipid in the retina. The radiation not only kills the tumor cells, but also damages the retinal vessels, causing them to leak serum into the tissue. The salt and water get pumped away, but the lipid in the serum stays behind yielding this yellow exudate. Radiation retinopathy appears approximately 1 to 1.5 years after radioactive Iodine 125 plaque therapy for choroidal melanoma. More information on this topic can be found under the Choroidal Melanoma heading in Information.