Comparison of real-time ultrasonography and coronal computed tomography in the diagnosis of orbital fractures.

Real-time ultrasonography (US) was used to evaluate the bony orbit in 19 patients who had sustained orbital trauma. The ability of US to demonstrate clinically significant orbital fractures was compared with that of thin-section coronal computed tomography (CT); the latter method was treated as definitive. US had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 100% and a positive predictive value of 100%. Quantification of the size of fragments by the two methods yielded similar results. Real-time US adequately displayed the anatomic features of the orbit and detected clinically significant fractures. This technique may have a role in post-traumatic imaging of the orbit when coronal CT is not possible.