CT scanning in the diagnosis of orbital disease.

The application of CT scanning to the diagnosis of orbital disease is considered in the context of the general differential diagnosis of unilateral exophthalmos. The advantages of using a body scanner for orbital diagnosis are stressed, coupled with the high resolution facility available with the EMI CT 5005 machine. In addition to orbital space-occupying lesions and dysthyroid disease, secondary involvement of the orbit by paranasal sinus and middle fossa pathology is described, and the value of CT considered in respect to these lesions. The relationship of CT to other modalities of orbital investigation is discussed and their current place in orbital diagnosis evaluated.