The Intraconal Orbit
Michael T Starc1, Sassan Karimi1
1Department of Radiology, Memorial Soan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
Radiologic Clinics of North America
|June 2, 2026
Summary
This review covers diverse intraconal orbital pathologies, from infections to tumors. Understanding orbital anatomy is key for diagnosing these lesions using imaging patterns and clinical data.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Radiology
- Pathology
Background:
- The intraconal orbital space contains critical structures, making pathologies here clinically significant.
- A wide spectrum of diseases, including infectious, inflammatory, benign, and malignant conditions, can affect the intraconal space.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of intraconal orbital pathologies.
- To emphasize the importance of intraconal anatomy in lesion interpretation.
- To guide radiologists in diagnosing intraconal lesions through key imaging patterns and clinical considerations.
Main Methods:
- Review of relevant literature on intraconal orbital pathologies.
- Correlation of anatomical knowledge with imaging findings.
- Discussion of characteristic imaging patterns for various conditions.
Main Results:
- Identification of common and rare pathologies within the intraconal space.
- Description of distinct imaging features for infectious, inflammatory, benign, and malignant lesions.
- Highlighting critical clinical information for differential diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Accurate diagnosis of intraconal orbital lesions relies on a thorough understanding of anatomy and characteristic imaging findings.
- This knowledge aids in formulating an effective differential diagnosis for orbital pathologies.
- Radiologists play a crucial role in the early and accurate detection of intraconal diseases.
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