Retinal and Choroidal Biopsy

摘要

Most of the posterior segment processes can be diagnosed solely on the basis of the clinical examination. Ancillary tests such as fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography, radiography, and serology further enhance our ability to make an accurate diagnosis. As a result, retinal and choroidal biopsies are rarely performed due to lack of necessity, difficulty of the procedures, and potential complications. However, certain cases present without characteristic clinical features, and the etiology remains obscure. Furthermore, certain disease states may have overlapping clinical features making them difficult to differentiate. In these cases, performing a retinal or choroidal biopsy may be essential to determine an accurate diagnosis.Retinal biopsies are useful in cases of retinitis or atypical uveitis in which the cause remains elusive and the primary pathology is within the retina. They may also be helpful in the diagnosis of neoplasms or other conditions in which the clinical examination and ancillary tests are not diagnostic. Before the widespread use of vitrectomy, retinal biopsies were performed ab externo by full-thickness or partial-thickness