Retinoblastoma

  • Etiology: Primitive neuroectodermal tumor
  • Imaging MRI:
    — Normal globe size
    — Unilateral or bilateral
    — Can be calcificed
    — Intraocular retinal mass
    — Can cause retinal detachment
  • Note: Look for spread along optic nerve and intracranial extension as well as leptomeningeal spread and spinal drop metastases
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
    — Trilateral retinoblastoma = pineal involvement = pineoblastoma simultaneous or metachronous to retinoblastoma
    — Quadrilateral retinoblastoma = trilateral retinoblastoma and hypothalamic tumor
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical: Leukocoria

Radiology Cases of Unilateral Retinoblastoma

MRI of retinoblastoma
Axial T1 without contrast (above left), coronal T2 (above right), axial T1 (below left) and coronal T1 (below right) MRI with contrast of the orbits show a large heterogenous solid mass arising from the posterior aspect of the right globe that enhances with contrast. There was no extension to the right optic nerve.
CT of retinoblastoma
CT without contrast of the brain shows a round hyperdense lesion almost completely filling the left globe.

Radiology Cases of Bilateral Retinoblastoma

MRI of bilateral retinoblastoma
Axial T1 MRI with contrast of the orbits shows solid enhancing masses arising from the posterior aspect of the globes bilaterally. There was no extension into the optic nerves.

Clinical Cases of Retinoblastoma

Clinical image of leukocoria due to retinoblastoma
Clinical image shows the left pupil to be white and nonreactive.