Acute orbital pseudotumors: classification and CT features

Abstract

Acute orbital pseudotumors are inflammatory lesions of unknown etiology that may affect part or, less often, all of the tissue within the orbit. A retrospective computed tomographic (CT) study of 16 patients demonstrated that these lesions occur in one of five specific anatomic patterns: anterior, posterior, diffuse, lacrimal, or myositic. The most common location was lacrimal followed by anterior pseudotumors. Posterior, most common location was lacrimal followed by anterior pseudotumors. Posterior, diffuse, and myositic pseudotumors were equally frequent. Localization on the basis of clinical features correlated with the CT localization. Illustrative cases of each of the five types are included. The role of CT in evaluating the therapeutic response is discussed.