Differential diagnostic criteria of lacrimal gland tumors based on comprehensive ultrasound examination

Ultrasound is a highly informative method of noninvasive diagnostics in ophthalmic oncology. However, its potential in the differential diagnostics of lacrimal gland tumors (LGT) has not been sufficiently studied. Purpose of the work was to determine the structural and hemodynamic characteristics of LGT based on complex high-frequency ultrasound scanning. Material and methods. The study included 52 patients (104 orbits), 32 women and 20 men, aged 26 to 81 years, with histologically verified LGT, including 27 cases of lacrimal gland (LG) lymphoma, 12 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, and 13 cases of LG cancer. Various morphological variants of tumors were compared with each other, and healthy LG of these patients were also analyzed, except for bilateral lesions. A comprehensive ultrasound examination of the LGT included B-mode, color Doppler mapping (CDM), and pulsed-wave Dopplerography. The echostructure and vascularization of tumors were assessed, blood flow indices were determined by calculating the indices of peripheral resistance in the tumor’s own vessels, in the lacrimal artery and vein. Results. Diagnostically significant echographic criteria characteristic of OSG of various etiologies have been determined. Conclusion. A comprehensive ultrasound examination can be recommended as one of the visualization methods in the comprehensive differential diagnosis of LGT in order to determine the optimal treatment strategy.

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