Unrecognized retention of intraorbital graphite pencil fragments: the role of computerized tomography.

Children with unrecognized intraorbital pencil fragments may come to attention because of surrounding abscess and granuloma formation, after a long delay, and may be suspected to have an intraorbital neoplasm. Two such patients are reported, with emphasis on CT findings. Recognition of the CT manifestations of intraorbital pencil fragments may allow a more conservative surgical intervention than that for presumed intraorbital neoplasm.