[Color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosis of post-traumatic optic neuropathy].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the parameters of blood flow in orbital arteries of patients with traumatic optic neuropathy.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Colour Doppler imaging of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and posterior ciliary arteries was carried out in 13 patients with traumatic injury of the optic nerve. The peak-systolic, end-diastolic flow velocities and resistance index were measured.

RESULTS

In 4 patients, whose vision was intact immediately after the injury and later deteriorated, the parameters of blood flow in the central retinal artery (CRA) were normal. Also in 3 patients with loss of vision to 1/50-3/50 after the injury the parameters of blood flow in the CRA were in the normal limit. In 3 other patients, who had only light perception after injury, there was decreased peak systolic blood flow and only trace or no flow was demonstrated in the CRA during the diastolic phase. In the remaining 3 patients, who displayed no light perception after the injury, no flow was observed in the CRA with Colour Doppler method.

CONCLUSION

Colour Doppler ultrasonography is a useful supplementary method in diagnostics of traumatic optic neuropathy. The Colour Doppler findings seem to correlate well with clinical pathologies of the optic nerve after its traumatic injury.