Ocular Ultrasound Review of Bioeffects and Safety, Including Fetal and Point of Care Perspective

Ocular ultrasound is an invaluable tool for the evaluation of the eye and orbit. However, the eye and orbit are potentially sensitive to the thermal and mechanical effects of ultrasound. When performing B-mode imaging, dedicated ocular settings should be used. If these settings are not available, limiting the acoustic output to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended maximum levels is strongly advised. Especially important is the acoustic output in spectral (pulsed) and color Doppler modes, which can exceed the FDA's maximum recommended levels for the eye. Adjusting settings to decrease acoustic output and limiting the time of the examination should be done when performing a Doppler examination. The acoustic output of shear wave elastography is significantly higher than FDA guidelines for the eye and should be considered experimental.

Automated summary

Ocular ultrasound is essential for evaluating the eye and orbit, but caution must be taken due to their sensitivity to the thermal and mechanical effects of ultrasound. It is important to use dedicated ocular settings during B-mode imaging, and to adjust settings to reduce acoustic output in Doppler modes to comply with FDA recommendations.