The use of ultrasonography in pediatric ophthalmology– diagnostics of ophthalmic disorders in newbornsand infants

摘要

Background: Ultrasonographic (US) examinations in ophthalmology play a major role as one of the additional examination modes in the diagnostics of orbital diseases, and in cases of changes of a vascular origin it is useful in the evaluation of blood flow velocity. The special value of this examination in the assessment of the opaque optical structures on the fundus of the eye is emphasized. The aim of the study was 1) to present the ultrasonographic images and the efficacy of the method in the evaluation of some congenital and acquired bulbar diseases and 2) on the bases of the advantages of the examination, to determine whether ultrasonography could be included as a screening method in the diagnostics of preterm infants as well as a method of choice in term infants with ophthalmologic diseases. Material/Methods: One thousand sixty-two children between the ages of 3 weeks to 12 months, of whom 1135 were preterm and 27 term infants, with ophthalmologic changes were examined. A real-time ultrasonographic apparatus with color Doppler (5–7.5 MHz sectoral and 7.5–10 MHz linear transducers). The US examinations of preterm infants were conducted four times and in term infants twice.Results: In 105 children (8.99%) and in 184 eyes, premature retinopathy, intra-bulbar tumors, retinal ablation, posttraumatic changes, inflammatory processes in the posterior chamber of the eyeball, and congenital anomalies of the bulbar structures were diagnosed.Conclusions: Bulbar ultrasonography, being a safe, quick, and efficient examination, should be included as an additional screening method in preterm infants. Ultrasonography with color Doppler is an efficient method of choice for diagnosing problematic diseases of the eyeballs of infants.