Abstract
Purpose:
1) To analyze the data observed by ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) and it’s association with clinical findings in patients with different types of uveitis and, 2) To assess the usefulness of UBM to identify changes in the anterior segment and anterior vitreous associated with uveitis.
Methods:
Type of study: experimental and prospective. We included patients with uveitis regardless of its cause of the Department of Ocular inflammatory Diseases in our Institution in whom a complete ophthalmic evaluation of the anterior segment and the anterior vitreous was possible. In all cases, an observer determined clinically the presence of keratic precipitates, anterior chamber cells, synechiae (and it’s type), iris nodules, presence of inflammatory pupillary membrane and anterior vitreitis. Subsequently, all patients underwent an ultrabiomicroscopy study with 35 MHz probe. All the UBMs were done by the same observer (DSG) who was blinded to the clinical findings. All patients accepted to participate in the study and signed an Informed Consent.
Results:
We included 8 consecutive patients (11 eyes) of which 7 eyes (63%) had nongranulomatous anterior uveitis, 2 eyes (18.18%) granulomatous anterior uveitis, 1 eye (9.09%) herpetic keratouveitis and 1 eye (9.09%) fungal panuveitis. The sensitivity ranges of the UBM were found between 18 and 82%: for anterior chamber cells was the highest (82%) regardless of the degree, for anterior vitreitis and synechiae was 55% and for keratic precipitates 45%. The lowest sensitivity was for pupillary membrane being 18%. The specificity of the test was 100%, ie, in any patient, the UBM had an additional finding different from the clinical evaluation.
Conclusions:
According to our knowledge, this is the first study to make a comparison of the clinical findings and the findings by UBM in patients with uveitis. The UBM can be a useful diagnostic technique in these patients, especially in those in which a media opacity prevents adequate clinical assessment. Larger series of patients are necessary in order to confirm these results.
Keywords: 745 uvea •
557 inflammation •
550 imaging/image analysis: clinical