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P T Finger

Publications and source records attributed to P T Finger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Three-dimensional ultrasound for the measurement of choroidal melanomas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of 3-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) for the measurement of choroidal melanomas. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-two consecutive cases of choroidal melanoma imaged with 3D-US. METHODS: Tumor measurements obtained with ophthalmoscopy, transillumination, standard ultrasound techniques, 3D-US, and pathological studies. Tumor diameters, heights, and volumes were compared. Our 3D-US tumor measurement techniques were tested for intraobserver and interscan reproducibility. RESULTS: Fifty 3D-US images were studied. The 3D-US tumor measurements were found to be reproducible (height coefficient of variation [CV] < or = 3%; diameter CV < or = 9.7%; volume CV < or = 13.2%). There was significant correlation with the usual methods of tumor measurement (diameter r = 0.76; height r > or = 0.98). Significant differences were found between measurements at pathological examination, as compared with both 2-dimensional and 3D-US height measurements (range, 0.73-0.83 mm). This finding was thought to be due to specimen shrinkage. Three-dimensional ultrasound was found to be at least as reproducible as clinical examination and standard ultrasound techniques used for measurement of diameter and height of choroidal melanomas. It was our impression that the 3D-US volume measurements accounted for the geometry of the tumor better than volume estimates calculated from basal area and tumor height. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional ultrasound measurements of choroidal melanoma were reproducible, correlated well with other tumor measurement techniques, and can be used for measurement of choroidal melanomas.

Choroid Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Plaque radiation therapy for malignant melanoma of the iris and ciliary body.

PURPOSE: To report on plaque radiation therapy for malignant melanomas involving the iris and ciliary body. METHODS: Twenty-two eyes (22 patients) with anterior uveal melanomas were treated with (103)Pd ophthalmic plaque radiation therapy. Transillumination and ultrasonography were used to evaluate ciliary body involvement and posterior iris extension. Plaques were placed onto the cornea to treat the anterior tumor margins. The targeted-zone included the tumor and a 2 to 3 mm tumor-free margin. After plaque removal, patients were examined at 1 day, 7 days, 4 weeks, and then every 3 to 6 months thereafter. Systemic evaluations for possible metastatic disease were performed every 6 months. RESULTS: After plaque radiation therapy, the melanomas decreased in thickness (mean 47%) in all 22 eyes, and no secondary enucleation was performed. One patient died of metastatic melanoma 5 years after radiation therapy. Despite anterior plaque placement that covered portions of the cornea, no epiphora, eyelash loss, or visually significant corneal opacities were noted. Whereas 15 of 21 phakic eyes (71%) developed secondary cataract, no eyes developed ischemic or neovascular radiation maculopathy. Four eyes were noted to have glaucoma before treatment, and two developed it after irradiation. Twenty of 22 eyes (91%) were within 2 lines of their pretreatment visual acuity. After radiation, the mean +/- SD follow-up was 56 +/- 34.4 months (range, 9 to 117 months). CONCLUSIONS: Plaque radiotherapy of melanomas involving the iris and ciliary body resulted in excellent local control with preservation of vision. Although there was high incidence of secondary cataracts, (103)Pd plaque radiation therapy resulted in no visually significant corneal opacity or radiation retinopathy.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed2000

Iris and ciliary body melanomas: ultrasound biomicroscopy with histopathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate ultrasound biomicroscopic images of iris and ciliary body melanomas with their histopathologic features. METHODS: Ultrasound biomicroscopy was performed in 3 cases of iris melanoma and in 3 cases of ciliary body melanoma. Cross-sectional ultrasound biomicroscopic images were compared with findings from clinical examination and light microscopy to evaluate associations between their histopathologic, surface, and internal ultrasound characteristics. Unique images of intrastomal and obscured posterior tumor margins were visualized by ultrasound biomicroscopy. RESULTS: Results of this study revealed that ultrasound biomicroscopy offers an accurate method to evaluate tumor shape, reflectivity, and local invasion. Neoplastic tissue had only medium echogenicity. Enlarged vessels were correlated to echolucent spaces in the iris stroma. Anterior tumor margins were found within the iris stroma, within the anterior chamber angle, and on the endothelial surface of the cornea. Posterior tumor extension was noted to encroach onto the lens, into the sclera, and serous peripheral retinal detachments were associated with ciliary body tumors. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound biomicroscopic images correlated well with histopathologic features of anterior uveal melanomas including shape, reflectivity, and local extension. Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:1515-1521

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Tumour location affects the incidence of cataract and retinopathy after ophthalmic plaque radiation therapy.

AIM: To examine how tumour location affects ocular morbidity after ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma. METHODS: 69 eyes were irradiated and followed for a mean 42 months. There were 23 anterior uveal melanomas and 46 were posterior to the equator. Anterior and posterior tumours had similar basal dimensions. Their mean apical heights were 4.8 mm (anterior) and 3.5 mm (posterior) which received a mean 88 Gy and 83.4 Gy respectively. RESULTS: Only one patient (4%) plaqued for an anterior uveal melanoma developed secondary retinopathy (cystoid macular oedema). In contrast, 24 (52%) of the posterior choroidal melanoma patients developed retinopathy (p value <0.0001). Cataract developed in 18 (86%) eyes with phakic anterior tumour compared with seven (17%) eyes with posterior tumours (p value <0.0000). No posterior nasal tumours lost more than two lines of vision though 45% developed retinopathy. CONCLUSION: While plaque radiation of anterior melanomas is more likely to cause reversible vision loss secondary to cataract, treatment of posterior tumours is more likely to be associated with irreversible loss because of retinopathy. Nasal location is also protective against severe loss of vision.

Cataract↗
PubMed2000

Topical mitomycin chemotherapy for conjunctival malignant melanoma and primary acquired melanosis with atypia: clinical experience with histopathologic observations.

OBJECTIVES: To clinically evaluate topical mitomycin chemotherapy in patients with diffuse, multifocal, or recurrent primary acquired melanosis with atypia and/or conjunctival malignant melanoma and to histopathologically study ocular tissue samples obtained before and after treatment. METHODS: Chemotherapy with topical mitomycin, 0.04% 4 times daily, was administered for 28 days as the primary and only treatment in 7 patients (after biopsy) and for 7 days as adjuvant therapy to excision and cryotherapy in 5 patients. Mean follow-up was 38 months. Five patients developed subconjunctival recurrences, for which 2 underwent orbital exenteration and 3 were treated conservatively. Histopathologic specimens of conjunctival, adnexal, and ocular tissues obtained before and after chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: Regression of tumor was observed in 11 patients with primary or adjuvant topical mitomycin chemotherapy. One patient with nodular melanoma was resistant to mitomycin chemotherapy. Histopathologic findings included regionally variable conjunctival epithelial atrophy and thinning. Dyskeratosis and focal keratinization in conjunctival epithelium were noted. Epithelial nuclei were occasionally pyknotic in areas of atrophic epithelium. Subepithelial inflammation was present and was most intense in areas with severe atrophy and/or keratosis. Two patients with primary treatment and 2 with adjuvant treatment developed subconjunctival recurrence. In patients with recurrent malignant melanoma, the deeper layers of the lamina propria were involved, with sparing of the epithelium and superficial lamina propria. Transient keratoconjunctivitis was observed in all patients during treatment. In evaluation of the exenteration specimens, corneal, scleral, episcleral, retinal, and anterior structures were within normal limits. CONCLUSIONS: Topical mitomycin chemotherapy was found to induce regression of conjunctival melanoma and primary acquired melanosis with atypia. When mitomycin chemotherapy was used as an adjuvant to excision and cryotherapy, 2 (40%) of 5 patients experienced tumor recurrence at a mean of 4.3 years' follow-up. Our histopathologic findings demonstrated a long-term mitomycin chemotherapy-related effect on the conjunctiva. The degree of chronic atrophy and inflammation was not clinically significant. The pattern of effect and location of recurrent disease suggest that this regimen of topical mitomycin chemotherapy was most effective for superficial tumors. No complications that would preclude use of our dose regimen were noted. Although subconjunctival or orbital recurrences were noted, topical mitomycin chemotherapy warrants further investigation as an alternative treatment for primary acquired melanosis with atypia and conjunctival malignant melanoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:885-891

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1999

Diode-light transillumination for ophthalmic plaque localization around juxtapapillary choroidal melanomas.

PURPOSE: An evaluation of plaque-mounted diode-light transillumination (DLT) for localization of episcleral plaques beneath juxtapapillary tumors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two patients scheduled for radiotherapy for juxtapapillary melanomas were offered DLT as an additional method of ophthalmic plaque localization. Plaques were constructed by affixing 4 non-heat producing, light-emitting diodes with their apertures flush with the episcleral outer surface of the plaque's rim. Bio-implantable epoxy was used to encapsulate the electronic components. Then the plaques were loaded with 103Pd seeds. After the eye-plaques were sewn to the episclera covering the base of the intraocular tumors; the diode-lights were illuminated, viewed and recorded. Photodocumentation of the relative position of the 4 lights around tumor's base was obtained in both cases. RESULTS: Digital images of plaque-mounted diode retro-transillumination were obtained. No evidence of diode-light toxicity was noted. Both tumors were found to be covered by the ophthalmic plaques. CONCLUSION: Juxtapapillary tumors are often difficult or impossible to visualize with standard transillumination techniques and have been associated with poor local control rates. We have developed plaque-mounted DLT in an effort to improve ophthalmic plaque localization. Retrobulbar transillumination was viewed by indirect ophthalmoscopy and recorded with video-imaging. This technique provides unique photographic documentation of episcleral plaque localization beneath juxtapapillary tumors.

Choroid Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Plaque-mounted diode-light transillumination for localization around intraocular tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of plaque-mounted diode-light transillumination (DLT) for the localization of episcleral plaques around intraocular tumors. METHODS: A clinical case series was performed to create, evaluate, and modify diode-light plaque construction, application, and imaging. Eight patients with choroidal melanoma were offered DLT as an additional method of ophthalmic plaque localization. Plaques were constructed by affixing non-heat-producing, light-emitting diodes with their apertures flush with the episcleral outer surface of the rim of the plaque. A bioimplantable epoxy was used to encapsulate the electronic components. Radioactive DLT eye plaques were sewn to the episclera to cover the base of the intraocular tumors; then diode lights were illuminated, viewed, and recorded. Thus, DLT was used to photographically document the relative position of the eye plaque covering the tumor base. The use of DLT also permitted a subjective evaluation of the contact (plaque contact) of each light with the sclera. RESULTS: Still and video images of plaque-mounted diode retro-transillumination were obtained, and no evidence of toxic effects of diode light were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Small posterior melanomas are difficult to visualize with standard transillumination techniques and are associated with poor local control. To improve and document plaque placement, we developed plaque-mounted diode lights for retrobulbar transillumination. This technique provides unique photographic documentation of episcleral plaque localization beneath intraocular tumors.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1999

Ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for age-related macular degeneration associated with subretinal neovascularization.

PURPOSE: To evaluate ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for the treatment of subretinal neovascularization associated with age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: In a prospective phase I clinical trial, we treated 23 patients (23 eyes) with ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for subfoveal exudative macular degeneration. Palladium 103 ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy was delivered to a retinal apex dose of 1,250 to 2,362 cGy (rad). Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study type visual acuity determinations, ophthalmic examinations, and angiography were performed before and after treatment. Clinical evaluations were performed in a nonrandomized and unmasked fashion. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for a mean (+/-SD) of 19 +/- 10.7 months (range, 3 to 37 months). Six months after radiation therapy, three (16%) of 19 eyes had lost 3 or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity; 12 months after radiation therapy, four eyes (31% of 13 eyes), and 24 months after radiation therapy, only two (22% of nine eyes) lost 3 or more lines of visual acuity. No eye suffered sudden irreversible loss of central vision. No radiation retinopathy, optic neuropathy, or cataract could be attributed to radiotherapy within this follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy can be used to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration. In contrast to external beam radiotherapy, ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy is a unilateral treatment, which allows a larger dose to be delivered to the macula with less irradiation of normal ocular structures. We have found no sight-limiting complications at the doses, dose rates, and follow-up evaluated in this study.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Palladium-103 plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma: results of a 7-year study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the first clinical experience with palladium-103 (103Pd) ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma. DESIGN: Phase-I (nonrandomized) clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty patients with uveal melanomas were diagnosed by clinical examination, found to be negative for metastatic disease, and offered 103Pd radioactive plaque treatment. Nine patients were concurrently treated with microwave hyperthermia. INTERVENTION: Palladium-103 ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy was employed for each patient. Eye plaques were sewn to the episclera to cover the base of the intraocular tumor, radiation was continuously delivered over 5 to 7 days, and then the plaques were removed. A mean apical dose of 81 Gy was delivered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The authors evaluated the ease of use of 103Pd seeds within standard gold eye plaques. Patient-related outcomes were control of tumor growth, change in visual acuity, the development of radiation damage (retinopathy, optic neuropathy, and cataract), and metastatic disease. RESULTS: From September 1990 to December 1997, 80 patients were treated with 103Pd and followed for an average of 38 months. Two patients were lost to follow-up. During this time, the authors found that 103Pd seeds were equivalent to iodine-125 (125I) with respect to plaque manufacture and ease of dosimetric calculations. Two patients in this series were treated for tumor recurrence after 125I plaque radiotherapy. They both failed secondary 103Pd treatment and were enucleated. When 103Pd was used as a primary treatment, it controlled the growth of 75 of 78 tumors (96%). Overall, there have been six enucleations: three failures of primary treatment, two failures of retreatment, and one for neovascular glaucoma. Visual acuity evaluations at the 36-month follow-up visit (including the enucleated patients) revealed that 38% of eyes had decreased 3 or more lines of vision, and 77% were 20/200 or better. CONCLUSION: Palladium-103 plaque radiotherapy can be used to treat uveal melanomas. Compared with 125I, computerized dosimetry suggests a more favorable dose distribution with 103Pd. Treatment of most patients resulted in tumor shrinkage and preservation of functional vision. The authors have noted no complications that might preclude the use of 103Pd ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1999

Differential diagnosis of anterior segment cysts by ultrasound biomicroscopy.

BACKGROUND: To describe the ultrasound biomicroscopic (UBM) features of anterior segment cysts. DESIGN: A retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred eighteen eyes with anterior segment cysts examined by UBM at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary between August 1992 and November 1997 were included in this study. INTERVENTION: The authors reviewed demographic and diagnostic data from the medical record including ocular and medical history, age, race, gender, and intraocular pressure. Ultrasound data concerning the type, number, position, and acoustic characteristics of cysts were recorded. The authors then correlated the written, clinical, and UBM characteristics. RESULTS: One hundred eyes (92.6%) had neuroepithelial cysts. Ninety (83.3%) of these had primary neuroepithelial cysts, 10 (9.3%) had cysts associated with uveitis, 7 (6.5%) had implantation cysts, and 1 (0.9%) had a cavitated ciliary body tumor. Neuroepithelial cysts typically were round or ovoid, thin-walled, and echolucent. Of the 90 eyes with primary neuroepithelial cysts, 56 (62.2%) had 3 or fewer cysts; multiple cysts (>3 per eye) were found in 34 eyes (37.8%). The multiple cysts occupied more than 180 degrees in 12 patients (13.3%). Primary neuroepithelial cysts were located at the iridociliary junction (74.2%), pars plicata (14.0%), pars plana (6.8%), and iris (5.0%). Implantation cysts (seven eyes) tended to have thicker walls and two contained a copious, echogenic material. CONCLUSION: The UBM results provide important information regarding location and extent of anterior segment cystic lesions. Ultrasound characteristics may help differentiate between neuroepithelial, implantation, and neoplastic cysts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Radiation therapy for age-related macular degeneration.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe irreversible blindness in the Western world in people older than age 50. Laser photocoagulation is the only proven treatment for this disease; however, fewer than 20% of patients are eligible for this treatment because the majority of choroidal neovascularization membranes are not visible by ophthalmoscopy or angiography. In addition, many patients elect not to undergo this treatment because laser treatment of subfoveal neovascular membranes results in immediate and permanent central visual loss. Several treatments are under investigation, including external-beam radiation therapy. There are multiple publications of early trials using radiation therapy, but to date there is only one randomized published study. This article reviews these trials and summarizes the status of radiation therapy as a treatment for macular degeneration.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Chemotherapy for retinoblastoma: a current topic.

Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular tumour in children, with an incidence of 1 in 15,000 live births. Treatment strategies for retinoblastoma have gradually evolved over the past few decades. There has been a trend away from enucleation (removal of the eye) and external beam radiation therapy toward focal 'conservative' treatments. Every effort has been made to save the child's life with preservation of eye and sight, if possible. Primary enucleation continues to be the commonly used method of treatment for retinoblastoma. It is employed in situations where eyes contain large tumours, long standing retinal detachments, neovascular glaucoma and suspicion of optic nerve invasion or extrascleral extension. Most of these eyes either have or are expected to have no useful vision. Radiation therapy continues to be an effective treatment option for retinoblastoma. However, external beam radiotherapy has unfortunately been associated with secondary non-ocular cancers in the field of radiation (primarily in children carrying the RB-1 germline mutation). Ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy has a more focal and shielded radiation field, and may carry less risk. Unfortunately, its applicability is limited to small to medium-sized retinoblastomas in accessible locations. Cryotherapy and transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) have been used to provide control of selected small tumours. TTT is an advanced laser system adapted to the indirect ophthalmoscope which provides flexible nonsurgical treatment for small retinoblastomas. Recent research in the treatment of retinoblastoma has concentrated on methods of combining chemotherapy with other local treatment modalities (TTT, radiotherapy, cryotherapy). This approach combines the principle of chemotherapeutic debulking in paediatric oncology with conservative focal therapies in ophthalmology. Termed chemoreduction, intravenous or subconjunctival chemotherapy is used to debulk the initial tumour volume and allow for local treatment with TTT, cryotherapy and plaque radiotherapy. Cyclosporin has been added to the chemotherapy regimen in several centres. Other clinical settings where chemotherapy is considered are situations where the histopathology suggests a high risk for metastatic disease and where there is extraocular extension. There is no consensus that chemotherapy is needed when choroidal invasion is observed on histopathology. However, in patients where the retinoblastoma is noted beyond the cut end of the optic nerve or if there is disruption of the sclera with microscopic invasion of the orbital tissue, treatment has been helpful. Systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy with local and cranial radiotherapy has improved the survival of these patients. Most recently, the use of new chemotherapy modalities with haematopoietic stem cell rescue or local radiotherapy has increased the survival of patients with distant metastasis. Nevertheless, the prognosis of patients with central nervous system involvement is still poor.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Anterior segment implantation cysts. Ultrasound biomicroscopy with histopathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the clinical, histopathologic, and ultrasound biomicroscopic characteristics of anterior segment implantation cysts. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 7 cases of secondary anterior segment implantation cysts. We reviewed the clinical history, visual acuity, clinical findings, and ultrasound biomicroscopic characteristics in all cases. Histopathologic correlation was possible in 4 cases. RESULTS: Six eyes had been subjected to major trauma prior to cyst formation. Trauma was noted as blunt in 3 eyes and surgical in 3 eyes. The diagnosis was confirmed in 1 eye when conjunctival cells were aspirated on fine needle biopsy. Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed large (mean +/- SD greatest diameter, 4.7 +/- 0.9 mm) cystic tumors. In 1 patient, a cyst-related indentation of the anterior lens surface was seen. Ultrasonographic evaluations of internal reflectivity revealed thick, moderately reflective cyst walls encapsulating a relatively hypoechoic core. In 3 cases, the cyst contents consisted of variably reflective material. The other 4 were completely sonolucent. Histopathologic correlation showed that the cyst walls were lined with stratified squamous epithelium. The moderately reflective cyst contents were found to be degenerated conjunctival cells with inflammatory foci and cholesterol crystals. The sonolucent regions correlated with inflammatory cells and fluid. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that implantation cysts are unilateral, large, and thick walled. They may be sonolucent or exhibit variable internal reflectivity. These findings as well as the extent of anterior segment involvement (particularly posterior extension) could be evaluated by ultrasound biomicroscopy prior to surgery.

Adolescent↗