Cavernous hemangioma of the orbit. A differential diagnosis in clinical echography.

Cavernous hemangiomas of the orbit produce echographic A-scan patterns which allow their detection, localization, measurement, and differentiation from all other orbital lesions with a high degree of accuracy. Specific echograms, however, of these tumors can only be obtained with optimized and standardized A-scan instruments providing specific settings of the sensitivity, amplifier characteristics, dynamic range, expansion of the screen display, filtering, etc. When instruments other than these are used, both differentiation and detection of this tumor become difficult or impossible. The more an A-scan instrument differs from the optimized and standardized type, the less successful the diagnosis of cavernous hemangiomas becomes, B-scan techniques add to the A-scan examination by better demonstrating the round shape and the topographic relationship to the globe, the optic nerve and the orbital wall.