Intraorbital and periorbital tumors in children - Value of ultrasound and color Doppler imaging in the differential diagnosis

Purpose To evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US) and color Doppler imaging (CDI) in the diagnosis of orbital tumors in children. Design Retrospective nonrandomized interventional case series. Methods This study included 42 children with intraorbital and periorbital tumors who were evaluated in our clinic. All children underwent a complete clinical evaluation as well as orbital US and CDI. The children then underwent operation or were followed up, based on the clinical diagnosis and the findings on the imaging modalities. Results The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 22.5 months (range 2 weeks-14 years old). Eighteen patients (12 female and 6 male) were diagnosed with hemangioma based on the findings in US and CDI; 16 patients (9 female and 7 male) were diagnosed with dermoid, 5 patients (4 female and 1 male) with lymphangioma, 2 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, and 1 patient with a subperiostal abscess. Twenty-two patients underwent operation, and the diagnosis was confirmed on pathology. Twenty patients did not undergo operation and continued to be followed up in the clinic (mean follow-up period 38.2 months). The disease course in all patients who did not undergo operation was consistent with the working diagnosis. Conclusion Both US and CDI are useful modalities in the diagnosis of intraorbital and periorbital tumors in the pediatric age group.