Clinical evaluation of ultra-high-field MRI for three-dimensional visualisation of tumour size in uveal melanoma patients, with direct relevance to treatment planning

OBJECTIVES: To assess the tumour dimensions in uveal melanoma patients using 7-T ocular MRI and compare these values with conventional ultrasound imaging to provide improved information for treatment options. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten uveal melanoma patients were examined on a 7-T MRI system using a custom-built eye coil and dedicated 3D scan sequences to minimise eye-motion-induced image artefacts. The maximum tumour prominence was estimated from the three-dimensional images and compared with the standard clinical evaluation from 2D ultrasound images. RESULTS: The MRI protocols resulted in high-resolution motion-free images of the eye in which the tumour and surrounding tissues could clearly be discriminated. For eight of the ten patients the MR images showed a slightly different value of tumour prominence (average 1.0 mm difference) compared to the ultrasound measurements, which can be attributed to the oblique cuts through the tumour made by the ultrasound. For two of these patients the more accurate results from the MR images changed the treatment plan, with the smaller tumour dimensions making them eligible for eye-preserving therapy. CONCLUSION: High-field ocular MRI can yield a more accurate measurement of the tumour dimensions than conventional ultrasound, which can result in significant changes in the prescribed treatment.