[Potential of ultrasonography in determination of orbital inflammation activity in granulomatosis with polyangiitis].

PURPOSE: This study investigates the capabilities of ultrasonography (US) in determing the stage of orbital inflammation in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study included 24 patients (8 men and 16 women) with diffuse orbital tissue involvement in GPA. Group 1 (active stage) included nine patients, while group 2 (inactive stage) consisted of 18 patients. Three patients were in both groups. In four patients (16.7%), the inflammation was bilateral, while the remaining 20 (83.3%) had unilateral orbital involvement. A total of 13 US examinations were conducted in group 1, and 22 in group 2. All patients underwent orbital US, including duplex scanning of ocular and orbital vessels, along with multiplanar combined spatial analysis of the orbital inflammatory mass.

RESULTS

The ultrasound characteristics in orbital GPA, specifically acoustic density, presence of pathological blood flow within and around the inflammatory mass, and flow intensity varied according to the stage of the inflammatory process.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound is a non-invasive and accessible method for assessing inflammation activity in orbital GPA.