Vasoproliferative retinal tumors associated with peripheral chorioretinal scars in presumed congenital toxoplasmosis

Background: The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to demonst rate vascularization of peripheral hyperplastic chorioretinal scars in pres umed congenital toxoplasmosis by choroidal vessels and secondly to report v asoproliferative tumors of the sensory retina seen in association with such lesions. Methods: Retrospective study of a cohort of 13 patients with peripheral hyp ertrophic chorioretinal scars, including fluorescein angiography (eight eye s) and indocyanine green angiography (seven eyes). Congenital toxoplasmosis was serologically confirmed in seven cases and suspected on clinical groun ds in six cases. Results: Sixteen eyes exhibited a peripheral complex scar with a posterior atrophic and an anterior hypertrophic part. These scars were vascularized f rom the choroid. In eight of these eyes an additional vasoproliferative tum or was seen within or adjacent to the scar and in one fellow eye a vasoprol iferative retinal tumor was found as well. These eyes experience visual los s, resulting from vitritis and exudative/traction retinal detachment. Regre ssion of exudation was seen in five of seven cryocoagulated or endophotocoa gulated tumors. Conclusion: Peripheral hypertrophic scars in presumed congenital toxoplasmo sis can be vascularized from the choroid. A vasoproliferative tumor of the sensory retina, secondary to presumed congenital toxoplasmosis scars, can c ause vitritis and exudative/traction retinal detachment. Early coagulation of this lesion may prevent a poor outcome.