Xue K, et al. – The impacts of intra–arterial chemotherapy on retrobulbar blood flow parameters in patients with retinoblastoma assessed in this study. These outcomes propose that intra–arterial chemotherapy has a measurable effect on the retrobulbar blood flow, which can cause a decrease in the peak systolic and end–diastolic velocities in the posterior ciliary and central retinal arteries.

Methods

• In this study, 20 eyes of 10 patients with unilateral retinoblastoma that were treated with intra–arterial chemotherapy were assessed utilizing colour Doppler imaging.
• The peak systolic and end–diastolic velocities of the ophthalmic, central retinal and posterior ciliary arteries were ascertained.
• The pulsatility and resistance indices were ascertained automatically.
• The treated eye was compared with the untreated (control) eye and with itself before and after intra–arterial chemotherapy.

Results

• When comparing the retinoblastoma–containing eyes with the contralateral normal eyes, the peak systolic and end–diastolic velocities of the central retinal artery were majorly higher in the tumorous eyes than in the normal eyes before intra–arterial chemotherapy.
• Moreover, the peak systolic and end–diastolic velocities in the posterior ciliary and central retinal arteries were significantly reduced after intra–arterial chemotherapy in the tumorous eyes (p<0.05).
• No statistically major differences were observed in the other parameters.