Occult wooden posterior segment intraocular foreign body

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) pose diagnostic challenges.
• Evaluating imaging modalities for posterior segment IOFBs is crucial.

Observation:

• A case of an occult wooden IOFB prompted an in vitro study.
• Computed tomography (CT) and B-scan ultrasonography were compared using human cadaveric eyes with implanted foreign bodies.

Findings:

• B-scan revealed comet tail artifacts for metal/glass and shadowing for stone, wood, and plastic.
• CT showed difficulty in wood detection within the posterior chamber.
• Stone and plastic were detectable by CT but required Hounsfield units for identification.

Implications:

• B-scan ultrasonography may be superior to CT for diagnosing wooden IOFBs.
• CT offers rapid initial assessment of suspected posterior segment foreign bodies.