MRI of orbital cellulitis and orbital abscess: the role of diffusion-weighted imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to describe the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in detecting abscess as a complication of orbital cellulitis and to assess whether abscess can be diagnosed with a combination of conventional unenhanced sequences and whole-brain DWI with parallel acquisition. Nine cases of orbital cellulitis imaged with MRI were retrospectively reviewed, including six cases with pyogenic abscess.

CONCLUSION: In this preliminary study, DWI improved diagnostic confidence in nearly all cases of orbital abscess when used in conjunction with contrast-enhanced imaging. DWI also confirmed abscess in a majority of cases without contrast-enhanced imaging, which may be of particular use when contrast material is contraindicated.