A mode optic nerve ultrassonography for glaucoma diagnosis

Abstract Objectives: Determine if retrobulbar optic nerve horizontal diameter measurement or reflectivity correlates with the optic disc excavation diameter relation in glaucoma, considering: measurements correlation, the sensitivity and specificity between the methods and which value has greater sensitivity and specificity to differentiate patients with and without glaucoma. Methods: In a masked study, the optic nerves of 38 patients with open angle primary angle glaucoma and 37 control patients were examined for retrobulbar echographic determination of their A mode (DNA) and their reflectivity (RNA) diameters. Biomicroscopically the relationships of the vertical or horizontal length of the excavation by the corresponding diameter of the optical discs (EV / DV or EH / DH) were estahed. These measures were evaluated for their correlations, consistencies, sensitivities and specificities. Results: Mean DNA was 2.93 mm in the control group and 2.72 mm in the glaucomatous group (p