Biomaterial Database

The value of skull radiography in ophthalmology. 1994

R Sanders, and C J MacEwen, and A S McCulloch

Department of Ophthalmology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland.

Skull radiographs and special views are still requested in ophthalmology despite the increasing availability of other radiological investigations such as CT, MR imaging and ultrasound. In order to assess the value of skull radiography in ophthalmology we retrospectively studied the use of skull radiographs and CT images in our department. In only one instance was patient management based purely on skull radiograph findings. Over 50% of CT examinations had been preceded by skull films which made no contribution towards management. In some cases the skull films had been misleading by not showing significant pathology and had consequently created considerable delay before diagnosis was reached. It is therefore unjustifiable to use skull films as a method of screening for orbital or intracranial disease and there is little indication for skull radiography in ophthalmology, except in detection of intraocular foreign bodies, facial and orbital fractures and simple sinusitis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009885	Ophthalmology	A surgical specialty concerned with the structure and function of the eye and the medical and surgical treatment of its defects and diseases.	Ocular Surgery,Ocular Surgeries,Surgery, Ocular
D009898	Optic Disk	The portion of the optic nerve seen in the fundus with the ophthalmoscope. It is formed by the meeting of all the retinal ganglion cell axons as they enter the optic nerve.	Blind Spot,Optic Disc,Optic Nerve Head,Optic Papilla,Blind Spots,Disc, Optic,Disk, Optic,Head, Optic Nerve,Nerve Head, Optic,Optic Discs,Optic Disks,Optic Nerve Heads,Optic Papillas,Papilla, Optic,Papillas, Optic,Spot, Blind
D009917	Orbital Fractures	Fractures of the bones in the orbit, which include parts of the frontal, ethmoidal, lacrimal, and sphenoid bones and the maxilla and zygoma.	Blow Out Fracture,Blow-Out Fractures,Fractures, Blow-Out,Orbital Fracture,Blow Out Fractures,Blow-Out Fracture,Fracture, Blow Out,Fracture, Blow-Out,Fracture, Orbital,Fractures, Blow Out,Fractures, Orbital,Out Fracture, Blow,Out Fractures, Blow
D001932	Brain Neoplasms	Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain.	Brain Cancer,Brain Metastases,Brain Tumors,Cancer of Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Tumors,Neoplasms, Intracranial,Benign Neoplasms, Brain,Brain Neoplasm, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Benign,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Primary Malignant,Brain Tumor, Primary,Brain Tumor, Recurrent,Cancer of the Brain,Intracranial Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasms, Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Brain,Neoplasms, Brain, Benign,Neoplasms, Brain, Malignant,Neoplasms, Brain, Primary,Primary Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Tumors,Benign Brain Neoplasm,Benign Brain Neoplasms,Benign Neoplasm, Brain,Brain Benign Neoplasm,Brain Benign Neoplasms,Brain Cancers,Brain Malignant Neoplasm,Brain Malignant Neoplasms,Brain Metastase,Brain Neoplasm,Brain Neoplasm, Benign,Brain Neoplasm, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Primary,Brain Tumor,Brain Tumors, Recurrent,Cancer, Brain,Intracranial Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Intracranial,Primary Brain Neoplasm,Primary Brain Tumor,Primary Brain Tumors,Recurrent Brain Tumor,Recurrent Brain Tumors,Tumor, Brain
D005128	Eye Diseases	Diseases affecting the eye.	Eye Disorders,Eye Disease,Eye Disorder
D005129	Eye Foreign Bodies	Inanimate objects that become enclosed in the eye.	Eye Foreign Object,Eye Foreign Body,Eye Foreign Objects,Foreign Bodies, Eye,Foreign Body, Eye,Foreign Object, Eye,Foreign Objects, Eye
D005901	Glaucoma	An ocular disease, occurring in many forms, having as its primary characteristics an unstable or a sustained increase in the intraocular pressure which the eye cannot withstand without damage to its structure or impairment of its function. The consequences of the increased pressure may be manifested in a variety of symptoms, depending upon type and severity, such as excavation of the optic disk, hardness of the eyeball, corneal anesthesia, reduced visual acuity, seeing of colored halos around lights, disturbed dark adaptation, visual field defects, and headaches. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Glaucomas
D006748	Hospital Departments	Major administrative divisions of the hospital.	Departments, Hospital,Department, Hospital,Hospital Department
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012189	Retrospective Studies	Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons.	Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective