Tranillumination for accurate placement of radioactive plaque in brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma

PURPOE: To preent a technique for accurate plaque placement in epicleral brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma. METHOD: The tumor margin are marked on the cleral urface, and a dummy plaque i temporarily utured to the globe. A fiber optic light pipe i then wedged into the pace between the clera and the plaque. Becaue of the reflecting inner urface of the plaque, the perimeter of the plaque can eaily be oberved during indirect ophthalmocopy a a circle of light urrounding the tumor. By thi method, it i poible to determine the exact poition of the entire plaque in relation to the tumor and make the neceary adjutment. When the correct poition i found, the dummy plaque i replaced by a radioactive plaque. REULT: ince 1993, we have routinely ued thi procedure in epicleral brachytherapy. CONCLUION: Thi modified tranillumination technique facilitate a correct poitioning of epicleral plaque