2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
2 Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology
Part VI: Imaging
Chapter 17: Principles of Radiology for the Comprehensive Ophthalmologist
This chapter includes related activities. Links to individual activities are provided within the text; a page containing all activities in Section 2 is available at www.aao.org/bcscactivity_section02.
Highlights
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Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice when patients are being evaluated for acute hemorrhage, calcification, and diseases of the bone and orbit and in patients for whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is contraindicated.
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MRI is the modality of choice for assessing the central nervous system.
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Administration of contrast material improves the sensitivity and specificity of both CT and MRI in diagnosing a disease and should be requested unless there is a contraindication to contrast agents or it is not required.
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Vascular lesions can be evaluated by CT angiography and/or magnetic resonance angiography. The sensitivity of these studies varies by institution and should be compared with that of cerebral angiography.
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Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound waves for evaluation of structures in the eye and orbit. The frequency of ultrasound is directly proportional to its resolution and inversely proportional to its depth of penetration.
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 2 - Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.