S. Behrendt et R. Rochels, PROSPECTS CONCERNING DIAGNOSTICS AND THER APY OF ORBITAL DISEASES, Klinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde, 204(4), 1994, pp. 207-210
New or prospectively promising developments in diagnostics and therapy
of orbital diseases are presented. Essential improvement concerns com
puterized tomography (finer stratification) and magnetic resonance tom
ography (specific imaging methods like suppression of the orbital fat
signal). Three dimensional reconstruction is particularly useful. Diag
nostic of vascular processes is facilitated by color doppler imaging.
The Doppler signal is superimposed in color over a conventional gray-s
cale ultrasound image, thus giving additional information about blood
flow in vessels. Application of endonasal surgery, which in ENT has be
en developped to great perfection, enables different surgical interven
tions, e. g. extraction of favourably positioned foreign bodies and de
compressive procedures in Graves' disease. More precise and less side-
effect-producing radiotherapy is permitted by a new procedure in which
special plastic tubes are implanted, which tips are positioned as clo
sely as possible to the area to be irradiated. Irradiation commences b
y insertion of radioactive iridium into these tubes by a computer-cont
rolled injection-device. As a prospect for near future the possibility
of endoscopical orbital interventions, e.g. biopsies is to be mention
ed.