Flame-Shaped and Subhyaloid Hemorrhages

Presenting Symptom: Vitreous hemorrhage. Pathology: Subhyaloid hemorrhage. The common flame-shaped hemorrhages represented by the two petechiae in the upper half of the photograph are situated superficially in the retina and owe their characteristically fimbriated edges to the nerve fibers. Smaller ones are called splinter hemorrhages. The flat-topped hemorrhage in the central area is the so-called subhyaloid hemorrhage occurring in the fossa between the retina and the vitreous or just beneath the internal limiting membrane of the retina. In such a "cavity" the red cells settle by gravity forming a flat-topped hemorrhage. The upper half of this cavity is filled by faintly discernible serum. The cause of the hemorrhages in this case was myelocytic leukemia. Disease/ Diagnosis: Myelocytic leukemia