[Diagnosis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for blowout fracture--three advantages of MRI].
BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gives a much more detailed picture of the soft tissue than computerized tomography (CT). In blowout fracture cases, it is very easy to observe the incarcerated orbital tissue.


METHODS
We performed MRI in 19 blowout fracture cases.


RESULTS
After evaluating the images, we found three advantages of MRI. The first is that even small herniation of the orbital contents can easily be detected because the orbital fatty tissue contrasts well around the other tissues in MRI. The second is that the incarcerated tissues can be clearly differentiated because a clear contrast between the orbital fatty tissue and the extraocular muscle can be seen in MRI. The third is that the running images of the incarcerated muscle belly can be observed because any necessary directional slies can be taken in MRI.


CONCLUSIONS
These advantages are very important in the diagnosis of blowout fractures. MRI should be employed in blowout fracture cases in addition to CT.
Nishida
Y
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
Aoki
Y
Y
Hayashi
O
O
Kimura
M
M
Murata
T
T
Ishida
Y
Y
Iwami
T
T
Kani
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis*