Abstract
We quantitatively analyzed inflammation in orbital fat from cases of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) using short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequences from magnetic resonance imaging. The signal intensity ratios (SIRs) of orbital fat as well as the superior rectus (SR), inferior rectus (IR), lateral rectus (LR), medial rectus (MR), and superior oblique (SO) muscles on STIR images were measured in 70 eyes from 70 treatment-naive TAO patients (active TAO group, 19 patients; inactive TAO group, 51 patients) and 20 eyes from 20 controls. The mean SIR in the active TAO group was significantly higher than that in the inactive TAO group and controls (P < 0.001). The SIR of orbital fat in all TAO patients was significantly (P < 0.001) positively correlated with that of the extraocular muscles: SR (r = 0.64), IR (r = 0.55), LR (r = 0.58), MR (r = 0.71), and SO (r = 0.65). The SIR of orbital fat had a significant positive correlation with the CAS (r = 0.53, P < 0.001). The measurements of SIRs in orbital fat may be useful in evaluating the activity in tissues of TAO patients.
Highlights
Inflammation in the orbital fat of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients has not been studied quantitatively, which has left some question unanswered, such as the comparison of the signal intensities in orbital fat among active TAO patients, inactive TAO patients, and controls as well as the correlation of the inflammation in orbital fat with the inflammation in the extraocular muscles, CAS, and patient’s age
Chen et al reported a comparison of macrophage infiltration into orbital fat between TAO patients and controls[17]
These authors showed that macrophage infiltration into orbital fat was greater in TAO patients than in controls
Summary
Inflammation in the orbital fat of TAO patients has not been studied quantitatively, which has left some question unanswered, such as the comparison of the signal intensities in orbital fat among active TAO patients, inactive TAO patients, and controls as well as the correlation of the inflammation in orbital fat with the inflammation in the extraocular muscles, CAS, and patient’s age. We investigated the signal intensity of orbital fat in TAO patients and controls using the MRI STIR sequences
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