Orbital volume measured by a low-dose CT scanning technique

A method for measuring orbital volume using low-dose CT with contiguous 3 mm transaxial sections is described. The accuracy of the method is 1.6%, as demonstrated by comparing CT volume measurements with those derived directly from alginate impressions and on repeat scanning the precision of the measurement was judged as 1.3%. Within the same individual, the right and left orbital volumes were observed to be within 0.6 cm3 (s.d. +/- 0.33 cm3) of each other. This study demonstrates that low-dose CT scanning is a practical method of determining orbital volume and could be used to advantage in the management of traumatic enophthalmos and blow-out fractures of the orbit.