Ultrasonographic Evaluation of ophthalmic diseases at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Ultrasonography (US) is one of the first‑line imaging modalities of choice for evaluating ocular pathologies after clinical examination. The human lens being radiosensitive requires imaging modalities that do not utilize ionizing radiation. Aim: This study determined the indications for ocular ultrasound and the pattern of ocular pathologies in patients imaged with B‑mode ocular US at the radiology department of a teaching hospital over a seven‑year period. This study also determined the correlation between the provisional diagnosis of the referring ophthalmologist and the sonographic diagnosis. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of the patients referred for ocular ultrasound scans from January 2012 to December 2018. Results: The records of 125 patients comprising 72 males (57.6%) and 53 females (42.4%) with a mean age of 32.9 (±23.12) years that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The most common indication was loss of vision/deterioration in vision. The most common provisional diagnosis was cataract seen in 20 (16%) patients, while the most common sonographic finding was retinal detachment seen in 44 (35.2%) patients. For the trauma cases, cataract, lens dislocation, retinal detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, and intraocular foreign body were diagnosed by US. Conclusion: Cataract was the most common clinical diagnosis, but retinal detachment was the most common sonographic diagnosis. This study highlights the use of US as a valuable tool in diagnosing and confirming clinical diagnosis, particularly valuable when the posterior segment cannot be adequately visualized as a result of opacities in the visual axis.