Radiological Determinants of Complicated Immunoglobulin G4-Related Ophthalmic Disease: A Territory-Wide Cohort Study

To evaluate the presenting radiological features of immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) and their associations with IgG4-related optic neuropathy (IgG4-RON), and IgG4-related ocular adnexal lymphoma (IgG4-ROL).

A territory-wide, biopsy-proven, Chinese cohort. Masked review of orbital images, medical records, and histopathology reports.

A total of 115 (94%) of the 122 patients in our cohort had preoperative orbital images (computed tomography=105, magnetic resonance imaging=40). Among them, 103/115 (90%) showed enlarged lacrimal glands, and 91 (88%) were bilateral. Nerve enlargement was observed: infraorbital in 31/115 (27%) patients and frontal in 17/115 (15%), 10 and 9 being bilateral, respectively. At least 1 or more extraocular muscle (EOM) enlargement was found in 41/115 (37%) patients, bilaterally in 20. Lateral rectus occurred in 30 (73%) of these 41 EOM patients and inferior rectus in 28 (68%). Two adjacent EOMs (inferior and lateral recti in 11 patients, inferior and medial recti in 7 patients) or multiple EOMs (at least 3) were enlarged in 23/41 (56%) and 13/41 (32%) of the patients, respectively. Intraconal lesions (67% vs 11%, P<0.05), infraorbital (83% vs 23%, P<0.005), or frontal (50% vs 15%, P<0.05) nerve enlargement was significantly associated with IgG4-RON (6 patients) by univariate analyses. Asymmetric lacrimal gland enlargement and discrete orbital mass (both P<0.05) were associated with IgG4-ROL (9 patients) by multivariate analyses.

In this IgG4-ROD cohort, most patients had bilateral enlarged lacrimal glands, and the lateral rectus is the most frequently involved EOM. For the first time, unique radiological patterns associated with the development of IgG4-RON and IgG4-ROL are found.