Incidental asymptomatic orbital calcifications.

OBJECTIVE

To use modern computed tomography (CT) imaging to quantify the incidence of asymptomatic incidental orbital calcifications and describe their histological features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred orbital CT scans were reviewed. In addition, patients who had orbital calcification(s) detected on a brain CT scan were examined by the ophthalmology service.

RESULTS

Of the orbital CT scans, 2% had bilateral drusen of the optic nerve head, 3% had calcified scleral plaques anterior to the medial or lateral rectus muscles, and 3% had bilateral ossification of the trochlear apparatus. Routine brain CT scans detected asymptomatic calcifications of the sclera and dura surrounding the proximal optic nerves.

CONCLUSION

Incidental asymptomatic orbital calcifications are commonly encountered on modern high-resolution CT images of the brain and orbit. This article should help the clinician to confidently distinguish these densities from foreign bodies or pathological calcifications.