Orbital diagnosis

Accurate localization and diagnosis of orbital lesions is necessary to select the appropriate treatment. A systematic method of evaluating a patient with orbital disease is presented. The most common orbital lesions among children and adults are listed, and abnormalities that mimic exophthalmos are described. The tests that are most useful in evaluating orbital disease are described in detail. Several case reports illustrate the value of ultrasonography and three-dimensional computed tomography in the localization and diagnosis of space-occupying lesions of the orbit. Special tissue-processing techniques can be performed on some tumors to aid in establishing a diagnosis and in planning treatment.