Value of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound for preorbital mass diagnosis

To assess the diagnostic efficacy of the 18 MHz Color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) probe (L8-18i) in distinguishing benign and malignant preorbital masses and compare its performance with the 11 MHz probe (L3-12).

A retrospective study analyzed ultrasound data from 17 patients (7 male, 10 female; age 5-80 years) with preorbital masses between May 2021 and April 2024. Patients underwent imaging with both probes, assessing mass size, internal echo characteristics, and blood flow parameters. Results were compared with postoperative pathology using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests.

Mass locations included the upper eyelid (4), lower eyelid (10), inner canthus (1), brow (1), and conjunctiva (1). Anteroposterior diameters measured by both probes showed no significant difference ( P = 0.320), nor did internal echo characteristics ( P = 0.891). However, blood flow signals differed significantly ( P = 0.014). Pathology revealed benign lesions (chronic inflammation, nevi, cysts, hemangiomas) and malignant tumors (sebaceous gland carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma). The L8-18i probe detected significant differences in peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities between benign and malignant masses ( P = 0.048), while the L3-12 probe did not.

The 18 MHz CDU probe demonstrated superior visualization of mass structure and blood flow, improving differentiation between benign and malignant lesions. It enhanced clarity in detecting hemorrhage, necrosis, and septation, offering higher sensitivity and accuracy than the 11 MHz probe, aligning more closely with pathological findings.