Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Intraorbital Tumors

Pur po se: To evaluate the patients with intraocular tumors who underwent diagnostic fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Ma te ri al and Met hod: Between May 2003 and June 2009, fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 14 patients with an intraocular tumor. For 6 cases with iris, iridocorneal angle or iridociliary pathology, aspiration was done with a 26-gauge needle under the surgical microscope. For 6 of the 8 cases with vitreous, retinal, optic disc or choroid pathology, aspiration was done with 20 D lens, indirect ophthalmoscope and 22-gauge needle. For the remaining 2 cases, aspiration biopsy was done by using 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and 22-gauge needle. A histopathologist examined the aspiration material in the operating room during the procedure. Re sults: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of 14 patients showed that 3 had optic nerve melanocytoma, 2 had chorodial melanoma, 1 had iridociliary medulloepithelioma, 1 had iris melanoma, 1 had trabecular meshwork melanoma, 1 had iris nevus, 1 had leukemic infiltration, 1 had lymphoma, 1 had neuroendocrine carcinoma,1 had xanthogranuloma, and 1 patient had normal fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings. Dis cus si on: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy and cytopathology have an important role in the diagnosis of intraocular tumors that can not be reliably diagnosed by clinical examination. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 408-11)