Evaluation of Proptosis by Using Computed Tomography in a Tertiary Care Center, Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha

Abstract

BACKGROUNDProptosis is defined as the abnormal anterior protrusion of the globe beyond the orbital margins. 1 It is an important clinical manifestation of various orbital as well as systemic disorders. Aetiology ranging from infection to malignant tumours, among which space occupying lesions within the orbits are the most important. Proptosis is defined as an abnormal protrusion of the eyeball. MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 32 patients referred from various departments mainly from ophthalmology and medicine with history and clinical features suggestive of proptosis were evaluated in our department and after proper history taking and clinical examination, Computed Tomography (CT) scan was done. RESULTSThe age of the patients ranged from 1-55 years. Associated chief complaints in case of proptosis were in decreasing order from pain / headache, restricted eye movement, diminished vision and diplopia. Mass lesions (46.87%) were the most common cause of proptosis followed by inflammatory lesions (37.5%). Trauma vascular lesions and congenital conditions were infrequent causes of proptosis. In children, common causes of proptosis were retinoblastoma (35.71%) and orbital cellulitis (28.57%) and in adults the common causes were thyroid ophthalmopathy (22.22%), trauma (16.66%) and pseudo-tumour (16.66%). CONCLUSIONMass lesions (46.87%) were the most common cause of proptosis followed by inflammatory lesions (37.5%). CT scanning should be the chief investigation in evaluation of lesions causing proptosis. It is the most useful in detecting characterising and determining the extent of disease process. The overall accuracy of CT scan in diagnosis of proptosis is 96.87%.