Intraorbital foreign bodies, especially non-metallic ones, remain an important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Organic foreign bodies contain large quantities of bacterial flora contributing to rapid onset of inflammation which may promptly damage the optic nerve. Further progression of inflammation may involve the structures of central nervous system. US examination is a preliminary, commonly available diagnostic method, although it is not always successful in visualizing foreign bodies. CT scan remains a standard investigation used to visualize intraorbital foreign bodies, although with organic foreign bodies, its results may be inconclusive. MRI allows for visualization and precise identification of foreign bodies, which is vital for surgery. The issue of intraorbital foreign bodies is an interdisciplinary problem requiring the co-operation between ophthalmologists and neurosurgeons.
Keywords: computed tomography; foerign body; magnetic resonance imaging; orbit; wood.