Incidental asymptomatic orbital calcifications.
OBJECTIVE
To use modern computed tomography (CT) imaging to quantify the incidence of asymptomatic incidental orbital calcifications and describe their histological features.


METHODS
One hundred orbital CT scans were reviewed. In addition, patients who had orbital calcification(s) detected on a brain CT scan were examined by the ophthalmology service.


RESULTS
Of the orbital CT scans, 2% had bilateral drusen of the optic nerve head, 3% had calcified scleral plaques anterior to the medial or lateral rectus muscles, and 3% had bilateral ossification of the trochlear apparatus. Routine brain CT scans detected asymptomatic calcifications of the sclera and dura surrounding the proximal optic nerves.


CONCLUSIONS
Incidental asymptomatic orbital calcifications are commonly encountered on modern high-resolution CT images of the brain and orbit. This article should help the clinician to confidently distinguish these densities from foreign bodies or pathological calcifications.
Murray
J L
JL
Department of Ophthalmology, UTMB, Galveston, USA.
Hayman
L A
LA
Tang
R A
RA
Schiffman
J S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014321:Trochlear Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging