Indications for cranial computed tomography scan in ophthalmology: Experience at a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this article is to determine the common indications for cranial computed tomography (CT) scanning in ophthalmology at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Nigeria and to compare the CT findings with the clinical indication. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of CT imaging requisitions from the Department of Ophthalmology to the Department of Radiology of the hospital from February 2009 to October 2013 was performed. Data on age, gender, clinical symptoms, clinical signs, diagnosis, and the radiologic findings were retrieved and analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21. Descriptive analyses were used and Fisher’s exact test was used as a test of statistical significance. Results: A total of 112 patients were included in the study. There were 48 males and 64 females. The mean age was 33 ± 19.1 years (range 5 months–82 years). Visual loss 36 (32.1%), proptosis 25 (22.3%), and headache 22 (19.6%) were the most common symptoms documented, whereas optic atrophy 16 (14.3%), optic disc swelling nine (8%), and proptosis nine (8%) were the most common signs. The CT finding was related to the clinical information in 67 (59.8%) cases. Conclusion: CT is a useful tool in the evaluation of orbital and neuro-ophthalmic diseases. It aids in the diagnosis and localization of lesions in ophthalmology.