[Ultrasound findings in endophthalmitis]

The ultrasound examination is the integral part of diagnostic procedure in endophthalmitis. During the ultrasound examination we may follow the organization of opacities in the vitreous, membranes formation, the thickening of the choroid, posterior vitreous membrane detachment, detachment of the choroid, the retinal detachment, chorideal abscess or granuloma, the edema of the optic nerve head and thickening of sclera. Not all of these ultrasound findings are always present. In our retrospective study, ultrasound findings of 17 eyes of 17 patients hospitalized at the Department of Ophthalmology at the School of Medicine, Palacký University in Olomouc during the period September 1999 - December 2002, were followed. Ultrasound findings in all eyes were evaluated and the final central visual acuity (VA) was followed. In eyes with VA 6/60 (20/200 or 0.1) or worse, the posterior vitreous membrane was not at all or only partially detached. In this group the finding of choroid thickening was more common. The finding of incomplete or absent posterior vitreous membrane detachment, and/or the thickening of the choroid might be prognostic unfavorable ultrasound finding in endophthalmitis.