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. 2018 May 11:5:79-86.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejro.2018.05.002. eCollection 2018.

Use of ophthalmic B-scan ultrasonography in determining the causes of low vision in patients with diabetic retinopathy

Ibrahim E Mohamed  1 , Mona A Mohamed  1 , Mohamed Yousef  2 , Mustafa Z Mahmoud  3 , Batil Alonazi  3
Affiliations

Use of ophthalmic B-scan ultrasonography in determining the causes of low vision in patients with diabetic retinopathy

Ibrahim E Mohamed et al. Eur J Radiol Open. .

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the causes of low vision among Sudanese patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) by using ophthalmic B-scan ultrasonography.

Materials and methods: A total of 100 patients with DR at different grades, were recruited prospectively between September 2016 and January 2018. Nidek (Echoscan US-4000) ultrasound unit was used to determine the causes of low vision in diabetic patients according to their glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and early treatment of diabetic retinopathy scale (ETDRS) severity levels.

Results: Vitreous hemorrhage (VH) 42(66.6%), asteroid hyalosis (AH) 12(14.3%), and partial retinal detachment (PRD) 9(19%) were the main cause of low vision in patients presenting with moderately regulated HbA1c and graded with either minimal or mild nonproliferative retinopathy (NPDR). While VH 15(40.5%), total retinal detachment (TRD) 12(32.4%), posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) 7(19%), and choroidal detachment (CD) 3(8.1%), were dominant in patients with poorly regulated HbA1c and graded either as moderate NPDR; severe NPDR; and proliferative retinopathy (PR).

Conclusions: Ophthalmic B-mode ultrasound is a rapid, noninvasive imaging technique that can be used with minimum discomfort in ophthalmological practice for the detection and evaluation of DR complications that predict the visual outcome.

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy; Low vision; Ophthalmic B-scan ultrasonography.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Ocular B-scan with a transverse probe position. The probe face is coated in ultrasound gel and positioned on the opposite conjunctival surface parallel to the limbus.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Ocular B-scan with a longitudinal probe position. The probe face is rotated so that it is perpendicular to the limbus, or to the area of interest.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
B-mode ophthalmic ultrasound scan of a 20 year old male, demonstrates the features of a fresh VH (arrows).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
An axial scan in a 39 year old female demonstrates features related to PRD (arrows).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A male patient of 32 years old presents with sonographic features that are compatible with TRD (arrows).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Sonographic features of PVD (arrows), presented in a 30 year old male. Signs of an irregular shaped membrane with no posterior pole attachment were also noticed.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Ophthalmic ultrasound scan of a 25 year old female demonstrates diffused hyper-echogenic foci (arrows) that involved all the vitreous area and associated with AH.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
An axial ultrasound scan of a 30 year old male, shows the features of CD (arrows).
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Causes of low vision as classified sonographically in diabetic patients according to their HbA1c and ETDRS severity levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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