AUTHOR=Zhou Nan , Yang Wenli , Wei Wenbin 

TITLE=Color Doppler imaging characteristics of RPE neoplasms: A study of 17 cases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ophthalmology

VOLUME=Volume 2 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ophthalmology/articles/10.3389/fopht.2022.758851

DOI=10.3389/fopht.2022.758851

ISSN=2674-0826

ABSTRACT=Abstract
Purpose: To report the Color Doppler imaging (CDI) features of 17 patients with RPE neoplasms. 
Design: Retrospective, observational case series.
Participants: Seventeen patients with RPE adenoma/ adenocarcinoma. 
Methods: Contrast-Enhanced Color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) was performed in 16 patients with RPE adenoma and 1 patient with adenocarcinoma. 
Result: All 17 RPE neoplasms showed well-defined margins. The oval mass was observed in eleven tumors, lenticular-shaped in four tumors, and flat in two tumors. On CDI, the RPE lesions showed homogeneous reflectivity of moderate intensity with no choroidal excavation. After Contrast-Enhanced administration of sulfur hexafluoride, mild enhancement was identified in six tumors and moderate enhancement in eleven tumors. In all 17 RPE adenomas/adenocarcinoma, Contrast-Enhanced CDU time–intensity curves (TIC) exhibited the fast fill-in and slow washout-shaped curves with dominant vessel within the RPE lesions. A “black-linear” sign (defined as low signal intensity linear zone located between tumor and enhanced choroid on CDI) was noted in all 17 patients with RPE neoplasms.
Conclusions: This preliminary study noted a "black linear" sign on CDI of RPE lesions for the first time. The novel sign may be a diagnostic characteristic of RPE neoplasms and help to distinguish this rare entity from uveal melanomas.