Jank Siegfried, Emshoff Rüdiger, Strobl Heinrich, Etzelsdorfer Monika, Nicasi Alessandro, Norer Burghard
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2004 Apr;62(4):451-5. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2003.05.016.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonography to determine medial and lateral orbital wall fractures.
Sixty-two patients with the clinical diagnosis of an orbital trauma underwent coronal computed tomography (CCT) and ultrasonographic investigation (US). Inclusion criteria were clinically suspected orbital injuries defined by reduced bulbus motility, diplopia, or additional traumatic injuries of the orbit or the globe. US and CCT were used as imaging diagnostic methods.
Ultrasonography showed a sensitivity of 56%, a specificity of 95%, and an accuracy of 88% at the medial orbital rim. Regarding the lateral orbital rim, ultrasonography showed a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 88%, and an accuracy of 90% using CCT as a reference method.
Ultrasonography with a curved-array scanner seems to be a valuable method in the detection of lateral orbital wall fractures. Further studies have to be done to improve sensitivity in the interpretation of medial orbital wall fractures.
