Advanced Diagnostic Approaches in Uveitis and Inflammatory Vitreoretinal Diseases

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Diagnosis and Prognosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 4843

Editor


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Guest Editor
Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Aylesbury, UK
Interests: clinical ophthalmology; eye disease; uveitis; cataract; retina

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Uveitis and inflammatory vitreoretinal disorders represent a heterogeneous group of diseases that continue to challenge clinicians due to their complex etiologies, overlapping phenotypes, and variable clinical presentations. Rapid advances in imaging technologies and molecular diagnostics have revolutionized our ability to detect, monitor, and characterize intraocular inflammation. These developments offer unprecedented opportunities to improve the precision and timeliness of diagnosis, guide personalized therapy, and enhance patient outcomes.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, “Advanced Diagnostic Approaches in Uveitis and Inflammatory Vitreoretinal Diseases”, which aims to highlight current and emerging diagnostic strategies in this field. This topic aligns with the scope of Diagnostics, emphasizing translational advances and innovative technologies that enhance diagnostic accuracy in intraocular inflammatory disease.

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, clinical studies, and comprehensive reviews addressing imaging, molecular, and integrated diagnostic approaches. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Imaging Diagnostics: OCT and OCTA biomarkers of inflammatory activity, choroidal flow metrics, and multimodal imaging approaches—including fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, ultra-widefield, and adaptive optics imaging—in uveitis.
  • Molecular and Cellular Diagnostics: Cytokine profiling, proteomics, metabolomics, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, microbiome analysis, and next-generation sequencing of intraocular fluids.
  • Integrative and Novel Approaches: AI-based image analysis, multimodal data fusion, intraoperative imaging innovations, and validation of diagnostic algorithms.
  • Clinical Applications: Early diagnosis of masquerade syndromes, imaging-guided therapeutic monitoring, and real-world diagnostic workflows in complex uveitis.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions that will advance our understanding of diagnostic innovations in inflammatory vitreoretinal diseases.

Dr. Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • uveitis
  • inflammatory retinal disease
  • multimodal imaging
  • OCTA
  • imaging biomarkers
  • vitreous diagnostics
  • aqueous humor analysis
  • cytokine profiling
  • intraocular inflammation
  • infectious and non-infectious uveitis
  • AI in imaging
  • personalized diagnostics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 16589 KB  
Article
Serum Procalcitonin to Support Early Triage for Possible Systemic Infection in Patients with Endophthalmitis
by Sun Myung Son, Jae Hyup Lee, Young Jin Kim, Hyun Duck Kwak, Jaewook Yang and Dong Geun Kim
Diagnostics 2026, 16(9), 1331; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16091331 - 29 Apr 2026
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Abstract
Background: Endophthalmitis is an ophthalmic emergency in which early identification of concurrent systemic infection is important for appropriate clinical management, yet this distinction is often challenging at presentation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with endophthalmitis at a tertiary [...] Read more.
Background: Endophthalmitis is an ophthalmic emergency in which early identification of concurrent systemic infection is important for appropriate clinical management, yet this distinction is often challenging at presentation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with endophthalmitis at a tertiary referral center between 2017 and 2023. Serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count, and absolute neutrophil count obtained at presentation were analyzed in relation to clinical classification and systemic infection status, with exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) used to evaluate diagnostic performance and clinical utility. Results: Among 152 patients, serum inflammatory marker levels were significantly higher in patients classified as having endogenous endophthalmitis than in exogenous cases (p < 0.01), with the greatest separation observed for PCT and CRP. In ROC analyses, PCT demonstrated greater discriminatory capacity for concurrent systemic infection than other markers, with a sensitivity of 91.8%, specificity of 97.9%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.964 at an ROC-derived threshold of 0.11 ng/mL. CRP also showed high discriminatory performance (AUC 0.947), whereas white blood cell count and absolute neutrophil count showed lower AUC values. In patients presenting with endophthalmitis and concurrent uncontrolled systemic infection, PCT showed a higher AUC than CRP (0.995 vs. 0.939). Furthermore, DCA demonstrated that a comprehensive model combining inflammatory biomarkers with clinical risk factors provided the highest net benefit for clinical triage. Conclusions: These findings suggest that serum PCT, particularly when integrated into a multidimensional clinical assessment, may serve as a valuable adjunctive tool to support early triage when systemic infection is a concern. Full article
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Review

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12 pages, 1574 KB  
Review
Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Vitreous Inflammation in Uveitis: Current Limitations and Emerging Diagnostic Approaches
by Maria Carmela Saturno, Oscar Matteo Gagliardi, Maurizio La Cava, Chiara Ciccarè, Alice Bruscolini, Alessandro Lambiase and Danilo Iannetta
Diagnostics 2026, 16(12), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16121886 - 17 Jun 2026
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Abstract
Accurate assessment of vitreous inflammation is essential for the diagnosis, monitoring and management of uveitis. Traditionally, vitritis has been evaluated using subjective clinical grading systems based on vitreous haze and cellular infiltration, which are limited by interobserver variability and poor reproducibility, particularly in [...] Read more.
Accurate assessment of vitreous inflammation is essential for the diagnosis, monitoring and management of uveitis. Traditionally, vitritis has been evaluated using subjective clinical grading systems based on vitreous haze and cellular infiltration, which are limited by interobserver variability and poor reproducibility, particularly in cases of mild or subclinical inflammation. In recent years, advances in ocular imaging have enabled the development of more objective, quantitative approaches. Ultra-widefield imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ultrasound-based techniques have provided new insights into structural alterations within the vitreous. In parallel, automated image analysis and artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods have improved the detection and quantification of inflammatory biomarkers, including vitreous hyperreflective foci and signal intensity-based metrics. Despite these advances, important limitations remain, including a restricted field of view, a lack of standardized segmentation algorithms and an incomplete representation of the entire vitreous cavity. No single modality currently provides a comprehensive and fully reproducible assessment of vitreous inflammation. This review summarizes current qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating vitreous inflammation, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations. In addition, emerging diagnostic strategies, including multimodal imaging integration, AI-driven analysis and molecular biomarker profiling, are discussed as potential tools to improve accuracy, standardization and clinical applicability. The transition from subjective grading toward objective quantification of inflammatory burden represents a key step in advancing both clinical management and research in ocular inflammatory diseases. Full article
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37 pages, 2398 KB  
Review
The Impact of Vitreoretinal Surgery in Patients with Uveitis: Current Strategies and Emerging Perspectives
by Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Sofia Androudi, Marta Latasiewicz, Youssef Helmy, Ambreen Kalhoro Tunio, Markus Groppe, Mandeep Bindra, Mohamed Elnaggar, Georgios Vartholomatos, Farid Afshar and Chris Kalogeropoulos
Diagnostics 2026, 16(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16020198 - 8 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1623
Abstract
Uveitis constitutes a heterogeneous group of intraocular inflammatory pathologies, including both infectious and non-infectious aetiologies, often leading to substantial morbidity and permanent loss of vision in up to 20% of the affected cases. Visual impairment is most prominent in intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis [...] Read more.
Uveitis constitutes a heterogeneous group of intraocular inflammatory pathologies, including both infectious and non-infectious aetiologies, often leading to substantial morbidity and permanent loss of vision in up to 20% of the affected cases. Visual impairment is most prominent in intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis and is commonly associated with cystoid macular oedema, epiretinal membranes, macular holes, and retinal detachment. In the context of uveitis, these complications arise as a result of recurrent flare-ups or chronic inflammation, contributing to cumulative ocular damage. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) has an evolving role in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to uveitis. Diagnostic PPV allows for the analysis of vitreous fluid and tissue using techniques such as PCR, flow cytometry, cytology, and cultures, providing further insights into intraocular immune responses. Therapeutic PPV can be employed for the management of structural complications associated with uveitis, in a wide spectrum of inflammatory clinical entities such as Adamantiades–Behçet disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, acute retinal necrosis, or ocular toxoplasmosis. Modern small-gauge and minimally invasive techniques improve visual outcomes, reduce intraocular inflammation, and may decrease reliance on systemic immunosuppression. Emerging technologies, including robot-assisted systems, are expected to enhance surgical precision and safety in the future. Despite these advances, PPV outcomes remain variable due to heterogeneity in indications, surgical techniques, and postoperative management. Prospective studies with standardized protocols, detailed subgroup analyses, and the integration of immunological profiling are needed to define which patients benefit most, optimize therapeutic strategies, and establish predictive biomarkers in uveitis management. Full article
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