Diagnostic ultrasound: an aid in the differentiation of anterior segment lesions of the eye

Abstract

Because the part of the globe in direct contact with the transducer cannot be visualised and focussed transducers have poor imaging qualities at a distance less than 5-8 mm from their surface, diagnostic ultrasound of the anterior eye segment has been treated in a stepmotherly way. With a simplified immersion technique we can visualize quite accurately a variety of pathologic conditions of the cornea, anterior chamber, iris, lens and ciliary body. The B-mode information is superior to the A-mode in this part of the eye.

Conventional diagnostic ultrasound of iris lesions

“…At the ultrasound ■ examination, a simplified immersion technique as described earlier [24] A good differentiation of cystic versus mass lesions could be made result ing in a quick and, for the patient, reassuring diagnosis of primary or secondary iris cyst in 26% of patients. In the iris mass lesions, axial resolution was in two patients insufficient in detecting CB infiltration.…”

“…In 42% the lesions were non-prominent (40.5% of the pseudo-melanoma cases). Since anterior seg ment ultrasonography can reach image areas not-accessible to direct slit-lamp observation, an axial resolution of 350 micros should be sufficient to detect most of the prominent iris-iris ciliary body lesions [24] differentiating cystic from solid tissues conventional ultrasound was thought to be of value in diag nosing and planning the intervention needed in the individual patient. The aim of the study was to discover the usefulness and reliability of conventional ultrasound as a supplementary diagnostic tool in diffentiating cystic versus solid, localised versus diffuse and iris versus iris ciliary body lesions.…”

Uveal melanomas diagnosed in the 6 months after lens-implant surgery

“…When the lesion was localized anteriorly, a simple immersion technique was employed in order to obtain a better imaging result in the ciliary body region [7]. The prominence (mm), the internal reflectivity (%), the grade of regularity, the attenuation (angle kappa) and the signs of vascularity were examined with the A-mode instrument, as described by Ossoinig [8].…”

Die sonographische Untersuchung des vorderen Augenabschnittes beim Kleintier

“…Um den vorderen Augenabschnitt sonographisch besser darstellen zu können, wurde in der Humanmedizin ein System entwickelt (20), das eine konventionelle Stiftsonde und eine mit Methylzellulose gefüllte »Augenkappe« beinhaltet. Hierdurch lässt sich das Nahfeld in den Bereich der Vorlaufstrecke versetzen, doch wurde diese Technik in der Humanmedizin von den hochauflösenden Sektorsonden und dem Ultraschallbiomikroskop verdrängt.…”