Research group formulates guidelines for characterizing orbital tumors

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — After analyzing hundreds of images, researchers at the Jules Stein Institute formulated a set of guidelines for identifying characteristics of orbital tumors.

Christine C. Annunziata, MD, and colleagues performed a retrospective review of 131 patients with biopsy-proven orbital tumors. Based on location, content, soft tissue characteristics, bone characteristics and associated features, the researchers devised a set of guidelines to identify tumors, she said here at the meeting of the International Society for Imaging in the Eye.

The researchers noted that there were significant differences between benign and malignant tumors on the images; benign processes were more likely oval in shape and malignant tumors more irregularly shaped, Dr. Annunziata explained. The guidelines were reproducible, she said.

She said a prospective study is planned using the features that were significantly different among all three groups to characterize tumors.

“It will advance our ability to interpret orbital imaging,” she said. “Ideally, we want to limit the invasiveness [of tumor evaluation].”