Orbital wall fractures. Conventional views and CT.

In order to evaluate the benefit derived by conventional views in the initial diagnosis of fractures of the orbital walls, a clinical study was designed to compare the results of evaluations by plain films and coronal CT scans. The conventional Caldwell's and Waters' views will provide a fairly reliable result as to the presence of orbital fractures: orbital floor (anterior in 78%, posterior in 73%), medial orbital wall (anterior in 71%, posterior in 72%), and ethmoid-maxillary plate in 64%. False-negative diagnosis was seen at the anterior portion of the floor in 13%, at the anterior portion of the medial orbital wall in 7%, and at the ethmoid-maxillary plate in 11%. False-negative diagnosis was seen at the orbital floor (anterior in 9%, posterior in 10%), at the medial orbital wall (anterior in 21%, posterior in 29%), and at the ethmoid-maxillary plate in 21%. Our results agree well with those of the past reports.