Diagnosis of lacrimal canalicular diseases using ultrasound biomicroscopy: a preliminary study

· AIM: To evaluate the application of ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM) in the examination of lacrimal canalicular diseases, and to investigate UBM image characteristics of lacrimal canaliculi in disease states.·METHODS: Sixty cases(63 eyes, 69 canaliculi) of lacrimal canalicular diseases were enrolled that included32 patients(32 eyes, 32 canaliculi) with chronic lacrimal canaliculitis, 18 patients(18 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with previous lacrimal canalicular laceration, 9 patients(12eyes, 18 canaliculi) with congenital absence of lacrimal puncta and canaliculi, and 1 case(1 eye, 1 canaliculus)of canalicular mass. The patients were examined using UBM, and disease-specific features of the UBM images were noted.· RESULTS: UBM imaging of lacrimal canaliculi in chronic canaliculitis patients showed obvious ectasia of the lacrimal canalicular lumen. Dot-like moderate echoic signals were detected on some ectatic lumina of the lacrimal canaliculus. Some lumen-like structures of the lower lacrimal canaliculus were observed in 2(2 eyes, 2canaliculi) of the 9 patients(12 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with congenital absence of the lacrimal canaliculus. Of the 18patients(18 eyes, 18 canaliculi) with previous lacrimal canalicular laceration, the lacerated end on the nasal side of the lacrimal canaliculus was detected only in 14patients(14 eyes, 14 canaliculi).·CONCLUSION: UBM can be used to evaluate lacrimal canalicular diseases and can provide an imaging basis for the diagnosis of lacrimal canalicular diseases.