Color flow mapping: A non-invasive tool for characterizing and differentiating between uveal melanomas and choroidal metastases

The objective of this study was to characterize and differentiate vascular patterns of choroidal melanomas and choroidal metastases by color flow mapping (CFM). We conducted a retrospective chart study on CFM findings in 18 patients with choroidal melanomas and 10 patients with choroidal metastases. We evaluated the possibilities of applying CFM to identify hypo-versus hyper-vascularity within the tumor, a central 'dominant vessel', and Doppler signals in the tumor's center and/or periphery. CFM demonstrated hypervascular patterns in 33% melanomas and 100% metastases (p<0.0001). CFM identified a central dominant vessel in 94% melanomas and 0/10 metastases (p<0.0001). Vascularity occupied the center of 11/18 melanomas and 0/10 metastases (p<0.0001), the periphery of 2/18 melanomas and 9/10 metastases (p<0.0001), and equally occupied the tumor's center and periphery of 5/18 melanomas and 1/10 metastases (p<0.0001). Based on our findings, we conclude that CFM was capable of non-invasively demonstrating different and distinct vascular patterns in malignant choroidal melanomas and choroidal metastases.