Plain film, CT and MRI sensibility in the evaluation of intraorbital foreign bodies in an in vitro model of the orbit and in pig eyes.

Detection and characterization of intraorbital foreign bodies (IFB) is fundamental in acute trauma setting, preventing inflammatory sequelae or complications related to IFB movements when a MRI study is planned. Papers concerning plain film and CT sensibility in IFB detection show controversial results. For this reason we investigated plain film, CT and MRI sensibility in the evaluation of IFB. For an in vitro model, specimens of dry and fresh wood, glass, iron, plastic and graphite were immersed in animal lard and in a 0.9 % sodium chloride plus 3.5 g/dl human serum albumin solution. Specimens of different size and nature where also implanted into enucleated pig eyes. Air bubbles were intr…