Ocular and orbital imaging

The development of magnetic resonance imaging technology has proven to be a great breakthrough in diagnostic medical imaging, ophthalmologic imaging, and biomedical research. The anatomic detail demonstrated by an magnetic resonance image is a representation of at least three physical properties of static tissue: photon density and T1 and T2 relaxation times. Intrinsic differences in proton density and proton relaxation times of tissues allow excellent image contrast between various normal structures and high sensitivity for detecting pathologic states. This article discusses magnetic resonance imaging features of common ocular and orbital lesions, with emphasis on the potential of magnetic resonance imaging in ophthalmology.