Ultrasound biomicroscopy in eyelid lesions - a clinical study on 30 patients

Abstract

The value of ultrasound biomicroscopy in the diagnosis of eyelid lesions is not well known. For the examination of eyelid lesions, we used an ultrasound biomicroscope (Humphrey, Zeiss, Oberkochen) with high-frequency transducers (30 and 50 MHz). Between November 1998 and December 1999, 30 patients with eyelid lesions, range 8 to 86 years, were available for this study. Histological examination of the excised tissue displayed the presence of chalazion (9/30), basal cell carcinoma (7/30), seborrhoic keratosis (4/30), a granulomatous process (4/30), cysts (2/30), an epidermoid cyst (1/30), a nevus (1/30), a pilomatrixoma (1/30), and a comedo (1/30). With ultrasound biomicroscopy we were able to demonstrate a cyst or a cystic tumour in six patients (20 %); i. e. two patients with a cyst of the eyelid, two patients with chalazion, one patient with a granulomatous process and one patient with an epidermoid cyst. In the patients with solid tumours of the eyelid, final diagnosis with ultrasound biomicroscopy only is not possible. For evaluation of cystic or solid eyelid lesions, ultrasound biomicroscopy may be an additional diagnostic tool, e. g. for assessment of the margins of the tumour. However, up to now it is not possible to differentiate tumours if only ultrasound biomicroscopic findings are available.