[Orbital pseudotumor]

The orbital pseudotumour is an inflammatory infiltration, which ranges from a lymphoid, through a granulomatous to a sclerosing type, depending on its stage of maturity. Its simulataneous appearance with autoimmune-reaction-induced diseases might indicate an immune-allergic aetiology. After clinical diagnostic procedures including imaging techniques (of which magnetic resonance is particularly important) as much of the tissue as possible should be removed by orbitotomy. Therapy with cortisone and/or radiation is indispensable, but seems to be effective only in the early stages. The case histories of three patients over periods of 1.5-12 years are analysed and compared with the currently available results in the literature.