The role of various imaging techniques in identifying and locating intraocular foreign bodies related to open-globe injury: three case reports and literature review

Abstract

Background Determining the precise location of intraocular foreign bodies is crucial for the management of patients with open-globe injury. Computed tomography is the most common method for detecting intraocular foreign bodies in the posterior segment. In this article, we describe three cases of open-globe injury with different types of intraocular foreign bodies in the posterior segment that were accurately located using computed tomography scans and B-scan ultrasonography. Case presentation Each of the three cases of open-globe injury described in this report had different types of ocular trauma, clinical symptoms, and intraocular foreign bodies. Computed tomography scans showed the exact location of the intraocular foreign bodies in the posterior segment in two of the three cases. A B-scan ultrasound was used to determine the location of a non-metallic intraocular foreign body in the third case. All three patients had intraocular foreign bodies, and one of them had an additional orbital foreign body. Case 1 had a perforating eye injury with the additional intraorbital foreign body; Cases 2 and Case 3 had different types of intraocular foreign bodies and prognoses. Various treatment approaches were used, ranging from observation to surgery, depending on the location of the intraocular foreign bodies, and all cases were successfully managed. These three cases show that proper use of various types of imaging tests is indispensable in the context of an intraocular foreign body related to open-globe injury. Conclusion Imaging techniques are crucial for the detection of an intraocular foreign body, and computed tomography is one of the simplest and most useful, especially in cases of open-globe injury.

Keywords

• penetrating eye injuries
• eye foreign bodies
• diagnostic imaging
• tomography
• ultrasonography