Radiotherapy for choroidal hemangioma

PURPOSE: Circumscribed choroidal hemangioma is an uncommon, benign vascular tumor that typically appears in the posterior pole of the eye. Visual acuity loss typically results from its exudation, followed by serous retinal detachment. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of external beam irradiation in treating circumscribed choroidal hemangioma. METHODS: We treated 4 eyes of 4 patients with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma with external beam irradiation at Okayama University Hospital from 2002 to 2009. A total absorbed dose of 20 Gy (beam energy, 4, 10 MV) was applied to each of the 4 patients. Each patient received a single 2-Gy daily fraction for five consecutive days in a week, for two consecutive weeks. RESULTS: In all cases, the retinal detachment showed complete resolution within 8 to 48 days after treatment. A decrease in tumor thickness was observed in all cases except one in which the follow-up period was rather short (3.7 months). The visual acuity improved in all 4 eyes. No eyes showed deterioration of visual acuity. During follow-up periods of 3.7 months to 58.5 months, there were no signs of radiation-induced cataract, retinopathy or optic neuropathy.