Echography in the diagnosis and management of retinal detachment

Sixty patients presenting with retinal detachment have been examined using a Nuclear Enterprises Diasonograph 4102; 25 with no identifiable cause (primary), the remainder due to causes such as vitreous haemorrhage, trauma, inflammatory eye disease, aphakia and neoplasm. In the diagnosis and management of retinal detachment echography has a definite but limited application, particularly in patients who have cloudy or opaque media and in whom detachment secondary to a malignant melanoma is suspected. In patients with trauma or vitreous haemorrhage important therapeutic considerations depend upon a precise knowledge of the structure of the globe and complicating features such as vitreous fibrosis or retinal detachment. In such patients the value of echo amplitude measurements in combination with B-scan echography is described. In primary retinal detachment because of vitreous haziness, the extent, size and degree of displacement of the retinal detachment may be more precisely demonstrated echographically than by conventional ophthalmoscopy, facilitating surgical management.