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A diagnostic dilemma: suspected retinoblastoma in a child from Sierra Leone

Eye (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

A 3-year-old girl, previously treated in Sierra Leone for Retinoblastoma (RB), was seen at the Judith Kingston Retinoblastoma Unit, London, United Kingdom for a second opinion. She represented a diagnostic dilemma, as it was unclear whether her condition represented RB or whether she had pseudoretinoblastoma. We present this case to highlight the benefits of effective cross-border collaboration.

Based on clinical examination and CT imaging in Sierra Leone, which revealed a calcified intraocular mass in her left eye, she was initially diagnosed as having unilateral RB. Six cycles of systemic chemotherapy (vincristine, carboplatin and etoposide) were completed in Sierra Leone and enucleation was then recommended, which her family declined and a further opinion from London was sought.

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Fig. 1: Ultrasound of left eye at presentation in London.
Fig. 2: MRI of the left eye at presentation in London.

References

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Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Keyla Lebrón Gutiérrez, Shiama Balendra.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Judith Kingston Retinoblastoma Unit, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1FR, UK

    Keyla Lebrón Gutiérrez, Shiama Balendra, Guy S. Negretti, M. Ashwin Reddy & Mandeep S. Sagoo

  2. Great Ormond Street Hospital, Great Ormond St, London, WC1N 3JH, UK

    Catriona Duncan

  3. Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, De Boelelaan, 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pim de Graaf

  4. Cancer Center Amsterdam, Imaging and Biomarkers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Pim de Graaf

  5. Ola During Children’s Hospital, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex, Freetown, Sierra Leone

    Jalikatu Mustapha & Maria Bell

Authors
  1. Keyla Lebrón Gutiérrez
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  2. Shiama Balendra
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  3. Catriona Duncan
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  4. Guy S. Negretti
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  5. Pim de Graaf
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  6. M. Ashwin Reddy
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  7. Mandeep S. Sagoo
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  8. Jalikatu Mustapha
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  9. Maria Bell
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Contributions

The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception, design, data collection, and manuscript preparation: KL, SB; contribution to the concept of the article including feedback for the manuscript changes: KL, SB, GN, AR, MS; contribution regarding the complex oncology assessment: CD; contribution regarding imaging and MRI scans: PG; contribution to the case regarding data gathering from the Sierra Leone team: JM, MB. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keyla Lebrón Gutiérrez.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Lebrón Gutiérrez, K., Balendra, S., Duncan, C. et al. A diagnostic dilemma: suspected retinoblastoma in a child from Sierra Leone. Eye (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02729-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02729-z

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