Ultrasonography is an important adjuvant for the clinical assessment of a variety of ocular and orbital diseases. With proper use, one can gather a vast amount of information not possible with physical exam alone.
Ultrasound is most useful when intraocular are difficult or impossible to examine. Situations that prevent normal examination include lid problems (severe edema, partial or total tarsorrhaphy), keratoprosthesis, corneal opacities, hyphema, hypopyon, miosis, pupillary membranes, dense cataracts, or vitreous opacities (hemorrhage, inflammatory debris).
Diagnostic B-scan ultrasound accurately images intraocular structures and give valuable information on the status of the lens, vitreous, retina, choroid, and sclera. Ultrasound is also used for diagnostic purposes when pathology is clinically visible, such as differentiating iris or ciliary body lesions; ruling out ciliary body detachments; differentiating intraocular tumors, serous versus hemorrhagic choroidal detachments, rhegmatogenous versus exudative retinal detachments, and disc drusen versus papilledema; or determining functioning versus nonfunctioning glaucoma tube shunts.
With 308 case studies, coupled with more than 370 ultrasound images, Roger P. Harrie’s Clinical Ophthalmic Echography is an indispensable practical guide on how to use ultrasound quickly and reliably to identify eye disorders. This manual serves not only as an excellent procedural review, but also as a great "how-to" for clinicians new to ultrasound.
Chapters cover an array of ocular and orbital problems with which a patient may present, including vitreo-retinal disease, anterior segment problems, vascular lesions, and swollen discs. Dr. Harrie draws upon his broad experience in the ophthalmologic field and imparts his expertise in chapters that range from the evaluation of the painful eye, to basic principles of ultrasound, to echography in developing countries. The varied case studies contained within the chapters include a spectrum of patients across ages and clinical conditions. The studies illuminate the accuracy with which echography both images intraocular and orbital structures and gives valuable information on the status of the lens, vitreous, retina, choroid, sclera, and orbital structures. The book also illustrates how ultrasound is used for diagnostic purposes when pathology is clinically visible, such as differentiating iris and ciliary body lesions, ruling out choroidal and retinal detachments, differentiating intraocular tumors, evaluating serous versus hemorrhagic choroidal detachments, and determining the cause of the proptotic eye. Throughout, the book emphasizes that echography is a cost effective and practical extension of the clinician’s diagnostic capability. An extensive display of A-scan images illustrates the valuable addition this modality provides to the more familiar B-scan pictures.
With its case-based approach, concise procedural instruction, and extensive references, this practical manual will prove invaluable in the busy clinical setting.
