{"title":"Ultrasonography assessments of meibomian gland as a noninvasive method of detecting changes in morphology","authors":"Liyun Wang , Hongbo Yin , Yujia Yang , Li Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.jtos.2025.06.006","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>We employed 24 MHz ultrasonography to evaluate the morphological features of meibomian glands (MGs) and compared the ultrasonic differences in morphology between healthy volunteers and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) patients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>24 MHz ultrasound examinations on both the upper and lower eyelids of healthy volunteers and patients with MGD, using transverse and longitudinal sections. The reproducibility of ultrasonographic findings for the MG was evaluated, and a comparison of morphological characteristics at different examination sites between the two groups was made.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 89 participants, 24 were healthy volunteers and 65 had MGD. The cross-sectional ultrasound findings showed well-organized punctate hyperechoic ducts within the tarsal plate, surrounded by hypoechoic acinar formations, which were further classified based on the extent of MG involvement into three categories: normal, ≤50 % involvement, and >50 % involvement. Additionally, a typical longitudinal ultrasound appearance of a MG consisted of a thin band-like hypoechoic structure (acinar) with uniform thickness accompanied by an arc-shaped linear hyperechoic duct in its middle region. Furthermore, seven abnormal longitudinal ultrasound manifestations were categorized as distortion, ectasia, central duct truncation, cyst formation, structureless appearance, complete disappearance or other findings. The intra- and inter-observer agreement for those categories was found to be high (ICC>0.6). MGD patients exhibited a higher likelihood of overall MG involvement or abnormal ultrasound findings, particularly in relation to the middle part of the upper eyelid.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The present study has developed an initial classification method to identify abnormalities in MG morphology using 24 MHz ultrasound in MGD patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54691,"journal":{"name":"Ocular Surface","volume":"38 ","pages":"Pages 72-79"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ocular Surface","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1542012425000849","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"OPHTHALMOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
We employed 24 MHz ultrasonography to evaluate the morphological features of meibomian glands (MGs) and compared the ultrasonic differences in morphology between healthy volunteers and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) patients.
Methods
24 MHz ultrasound examinations on both the upper and lower eyelids of healthy volunteers and patients with MGD, using transverse and longitudinal sections. The reproducibility of ultrasonographic findings for the MG was evaluated, and a comparison of morphological characteristics at different examination sites between the two groups was made.
Results
Among 89 participants, 24 were healthy volunteers and 65 had MGD. The cross-sectional ultrasound findings showed well-organized punctate hyperechoic ducts within the tarsal plate, surrounded by hypoechoic acinar formations, which were further classified based on the extent of MG involvement into three categories: normal, ≤50 % involvement, and >50 % involvement. Additionally, a typical longitudinal ultrasound appearance of a MG consisted of a thin band-like hypoechoic structure (acinar) with uniform thickness accompanied by an arc-shaped linear hyperechoic duct in its middle region. Furthermore, seven abnormal longitudinal ultrasound manifestations were categorized as distortion, ectasia, central duct truncation, cyst formation, structureless appearance, complete disappearance or other findings. The intra- and inter-observer agreement for those categories was found to be high (ICC>0.6). MGD patients exhibited a higher likelihood of overall MG involvement or abnormal ultrasound findings, particularly in relation to the middle part of the upper eyelid.
Conclusion
The present study has developed an initial classification method to identify abnormalities in MG morphology using 24 MHz ultrasound in MGD patients.
期刊介绍:
The Ocular Surface, a quarterly, a peer-reviewed journal, is an authoritative resource that integrates and interprets major findings in diverse fields related to the ocular surface, including ophthalmology, optometry, genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology, immunology, infectious disease, and epidemiology. Its critical review articles cover the most current knowledge on medical and surgical management of ocular surface pathology, new understandings of ocular surface physiology, the meaning of recent discoveries on how the ocular surface responds to injury and disease, and updates on drug and device development. The journal also publishes select original research reports and articles describing cutting-edge techniques and technology in the field.
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