Preliminary Diagnosis: Orbital Cellulitis
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis?
-
Contrasted CT of the brain and orbits.
II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis of orbital cellulitis.
Advantages
-
Relatively inexpensive and fast imaging modality
-
Better able to detail any associated osseous abnormality than other imaging modalities
Disadvantages
-
Exposes a patient to ionizing radiation
-
Less exquisite detail of the adjacent soft tissues including the orbit, optic nerves, extraocular muscles, and lacrimal glands
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
-
May be contraindicated in pregnant patients
-
Relative contraindication in patients with allergy to contrast
-
Relative contraindication in patients with renal failure
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
-
Contrasted MR of the brain and orbits.
V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis of orbital cellulitis.
Contrasted MR of the Brain and Orbits
Advantages
-
Offers exquisite detail of the adjacent soft tissues and better characterizes and details intracranial extension
-
Does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation
Disadvantages
-
Expensive
-
Time consuming
-
Requires significant patient cooperation to minimize motion artifact
-
Less adept at detailing any associated osseous involvement
VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
Contrasted MR of the Brain and Orbits
-
Contraindicated in patients with non–MR-compatible hardware
Copyright © 2017, 2013 Decision Support in Medicine, LLC. All rights reserved.
No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. The Licensed Content is the property of and copyrighted by DSM.
