title: Orbital lobe resection provides a definite diagnosis of lacrimal gland lesions: a report of three cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Entities of lacrimal gland lesions comprise almost inflammatory and lymphoproliferative processes as well as benign and malignant solid tumors and usually cannot be differentiated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exclusively. Hence, representative tissue samples are needed to arrive at sufficient histopathological diagnosis for further treatment decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three women aged between 18 and 67 years were admitted to our center with clinical signs of a space-occupying mass in the lacrimal fossa. MRI revealed a circumscribed lacrimal gland lesion in all three cases. The orbital lobe was resected through a lateral orbitotomy approach for histopathological evaluation. Findings confirmed the diagnoses of pleomorphic adenoma, dacryoadenitis, and low-grade B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Further surgery was not necessary. No recurrence or symptoms of "dry eye" were observed over the course of a 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cases of non-specific masses in the lacrimal gland on MRI, histopathological diagnoses are vital and can be sufficiently provided by resection of the orbital lobe. Symptoms of dry eye are uncommon, and secondary surgical intervention can be avoided in cases of the presented entities. Further studies with larger patient cohorts are warranted to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, School of Medicine of the University of Göttingen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schnabl
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, School of Medicine of the University of Göttingen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte, School of Medicine of the University of Göttingen, Bremen, Germany. janrustem@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rustemeyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Dacryoadenitis; Dry eye; Lacrimal gland; MRI; Orbital lobe; Orbitotomy