title: The role of ultrasound biomicroscopy in ocular trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the usefulness of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in detecting and localizing small ocular foreign bodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of the records of 555 consecutive patients evaluated by UBM by the Visual Physiology Unit of the Wills Eye Hospital from August 1994 to November 1997.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 9 patients, a foreign body was identified. In 6 patients, the history suggested the presence of a foreign body, but one could not be detected by clinical examination. In 2 patients, the referring physicians requested UBM to determine whether or how deep a known foreign body had penetrated the globe. In 1 patient, the foreign body was not suspected clinically. In regard to other diagnostic techniques, CT failed to identify the foreign body in 1 patient. In another, contact B-scan ultrasonography failed. In a third, both CT and contact B-scan ultrasonography failed. The foreign body was intracorneal in 2 eyes, subconjunctival in 2, intrascleral in 3, and intraocular in 2. Six were nonmetallic. Two were metallic. In one case, the foreign body was lost and its composition is unknown. In 5 cases, the UBM findings altered the patient's management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UBM is a valuable adjunct in the evaluation of small, anteriorly located foreign body that may not be detectable by other methods. UBM may be especially useful for finding nonmetallic foreign bodies.
authors.affiliation: Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Deramo
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Baumal
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fineman
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Corrĕa
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rapuano
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Augsburger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology