Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the ability and role of ultrasound biomicroscopy in imaging the peripheral retina, pars plana, and anterior choroid.
Design: The study design was a case series.
Participants: Seventeen eyes of 17 patients with a variety of clinical diagnoses involving the anterior portion of the posterior segment were studied.
Intervention: High-frequency (50 MHz), high-resolution (50 microns) ultrasound biomicroscopy was performed.
Results: Ultrasound biomicroscopy was capable of imaging the peripheral retina, pars plana, and anterior choroid. Images had features consistent with known histopathology. Retinoschisis consisted of one thin hyper-reflective echo and could be differentiated from a retinal detachment, which was thicker and formed a bilayered echo. A choroidal effusion could be identified as an echolucent space within the suprachoroidea, whereas a choroidal hemorrhage was moderately echodense. Inflammatory diseases, such as a sarcoid granuloma, pars planitis, and Harada's disease, were characterized by different forms of uveal thickening. A ciliochoroidal nevus was internally hyporeflective and could be measured accurately and localized.
Conclusions: Imaging of the peripheral retina, pars plana, and anterior choroid is possible with ultrasound biomicroscopy and may aid in the diagnosis and management of pathology involving this region.