High-frequency (or high-resolution) ocular ultrasound was initially developed for use in humans, and since its incorporation into veterinary ophthalmology, it has become a widespread technique. At IVeM, we are fortunate to have the necessary technological equipment to carry out this valuable and cutting-edge diagnostic test.
We can also refer to it as Ultrasound Biomicroscopy, or by the acronym UBM. As its name suggests, it is an image-based diagnostic technique based on ultrasound using high-frequency probes.
UBM is an ultrasound that surpasses conventional ocular ultrasound in image quality because it uses higher frequency probes, around 35 MHz, unlike the 10-15 MHz used by conventional ultrasound probes.
Advantages
UBM allows for a very precise and detailed evaluation of the intraocular structures housed in the anterior chamber, offering high-quality images that allow for the detection of different pathological processes present. Specifically, UBM is used to diagnose or help determine certain alterations of the cornea, sclera, anterior chamber, iris, iridocorneal angle (especially important in patients with glaucoma), and the anterior capsule of the 1 lens.
This diagnostic tool is non-invasive, so the test is not painful, and all patients, both dogs and cats, usually tolerate it well. For greater comfort during the procedure, anesthetic eye drops are applied, and occasionally, for those slightly more restless or nervous animals, light sedation or tranquilization is administered.
The main disadvantage of an ultrasound examination with UBM is that the probe's depth is very limited, only penetrating a few millimeters, so it is not a type of ultrasound used to evaluate the posterior segment and the retrobulbar cone. Conventional ultrasound is used to evaluate the ocular structures of the posterior segment, such as the posterior capsule of the lens, the vitreous cavity, the retina, the choroid, or the optic nerve.
We say it is non-invasive because the instrument for performing the ultrasound can be placed directly on the eyeball. As a particularity, the equipment has an immersion transducer probe, meaning the probe is submerged in liquid and protected with a soft plastic cap to avoid direct contact with the patient's eye.
In short, UBM is a relatively simple diagnostic test that allows for the diagnosis and thorough evaluation of different pathologies that may be present in the anterior segment of the eyeball.
