Extraocular Muscle Compartments in Superior Oblique Palsy

Normative measurements of the superior oblique and inferior oblique muscles by magnetic resonance imaging

Purpose

Normative oblique muscle data may help to diagnose pathological enlargement of the oblique muscles. We aim to describe the normative values of the superior and inferior oblique muscles in an Australian cohort on T1-weighted MRI and fat suppressed contrast enhanced T1-weighted MRI.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients who underwent 3 T orbital MRI. The healthy orbits were used to conduct measurements in patients with a unilateral orbital lesion. The maximum diameters of the superior and inferior oblique muscles were measured on coronal planes. The diameter was measured perpendicular to the long axis of the muscles.

Results

The normal measurements (mean ± SD) on fat suppressed contrast enhanced T1-weighted MRI: superior oblique, 3.0 ± 0.5 mm and inferior oblique, 2.7 ± 0.5 mm. On T1-weighted MRI: superior oblique, 2.8 ± 0.5 mm and inferior oblique, 2.5 ± 0.4 mm. In patients who had both sequences performed, the superior and inferior oblique diameters were significantly higher on the fat suppressed contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI than the T1-weighted MRI sequence (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Oblique muscle enlargement may be seen in a range of orbital diseases. These data may help in diagnosing oblique muscle enlargement. In addition, variations in the measured muscle diameters can be seen according to the scan sequence that is used.

Translation and eccentric rotation in ocular motor modeling

Current models of ocular mechanics do not fully account for potentially large globe translations associated with eye rotation. Such combined motion can be measured using magnetic resonance imaging in axial planes. We imaged orbits of normal volunteers fixating horizontally eccentric targets. These data indicate that the human eye acts as if it rotates eccentrically about a varying point typically anterior to the geometric globe center, but significantly lateral in abduction and medial in adduction. Assumed eccentricity of the ocular rotational center would vary the torque lever arms for the horizontal rectus muscles, with an appreciably smaller relative lever arm for the medial rectus muscle in adduction than would be the case for oculocentric rotation. Such variation in ocular rotational center might alter muscle torque without commensurate change in muscle tension, as appears to happen in convergence.

Functional anatomy of extraocular muscles during human vergence compensation of horizontal heterophoria

We employed magnetic resonance imaging to quantify human extraocular muscle (EOM) contractility during intermittent convergent and divergent strabismus with each eye viewing monocularly at 20 cm compared with centered target fusion. Contractility, indicated by posterior partial volume change, was analyzed in transverse rectus and in medial and lateral superior oblique (SO) muscle compartments. In five subjects with intermittent esotropia, abduction of the deviated eye to monocular target fixation was associated with significant whole lateral rectus (LR) contraction, but with medial rectus (MR) relaxation that was significantly greater in the superior than inferior compartment. Esotropic eye abduction to binocular fusion was associated with similar relaxation in the two MR compartments, but with greater contraction in the LR's superior than inferior compartment. The whole diverging eye SO muscle relaxed. In three subjects with intermittent exotropia, converging eye fusional adduction was associated with significant whole LR relaxation and with MR contraction attributable to significantly greater contraction in the superior than inferior compartment. In adduction of the exotropic eye to monocular target fixation but not fusional adduction, the whole SO exhibited significant relaxation. Rectus pulley positions were not significantly altered by fusion of either form of intermittent strabismus. Globe rotational axis was eccentric in intermittent strabismus, rolling the eye so that rectus EOM lever arms facilitated vergence. These results confirm, and extend to fusion of intermittent horizontal strabismus, differential compartmental function in horizontal rectus EOMs and suggest a novel role for the SO in compensation of both intermittent esotropia and exotropia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Disjunctive eye movements normally permit binocular fixation in near visual space but also compensate for mechanical imbalances in binocular alignment developing over the life span. Magnetic resonance imaging of the extraocular muscles demonstrates important differential function in muscle compartments during compensation of large-angle intermittent convergent and divergent strabismus in humans. Eye translation during rotation also enhances vergence compensation of intermittent strabismus.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Globe-Tendon Interface for Extraocular Muscles: Is There an "Arc of Contact"?

PURPOSE

To determine if the "arc of contact" is an accurate approximation of the globe-tendon interface for the biomechanical modeling of extraocular muscle (EOM) force transfer onto the globe.

METHODS

At a single academic institution, 18 normal and 14 strabismic subjects were prospectively recruited for surface-coil enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 312- or 390-μm resolution in axial planes for horizontal EOMs (23 subjects, 26 orbits) and sagittal planes for vertical EOMs (13 subjects, 22 orbits) during large ipsiversive ductions. The measured angle at insertion and the predicted angle assuming an "arc of contact" were compared using paired t tests.

RESULTS

For normal EOMs, the measured angle at insertion was significantly greater than predicted assuming an "arc of contact" for the medial rectus (MR) (5.0 ± 4.8 degrees vs 0.0 ± 0.0 degrees, P = .03), lateral rectus (LR) (4.9 ± 3.0 degrees vs 0.0 ± 0.0 degrees, P = .02), inferior rectus (7.4 ± 4.8 degrees vs 1.2 ± 2.6 degrees, P = .00003), and superior rectus (0.6 ± 1.1 degrees vs 0.0 ± 0.0 degrees, P = .04). In strabismic subjects, the measured angle was significantly greater for the MR in abducens palsy (9.9 ± 4.3 degrees vs 0.5 ± 0.7 degrees, P = .0007) and after MR resection (9.0 ± 6.9 degrees vs 1.2 ± 2.4 degrees, P = .02), but not after LR recession (2.9 vs 0.0 degrees). Single subjects had comparable angles after MR recession, but markedly different angles after MR and LR posterior fixation.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to the "arc of contact" biomechanical model, normal and postsurgical EOMs are significantly non-tangent to the globe at their scleral insertions. The "arc of contact" should be replaced in biomechanical modeling by the experimentally measured angles at tendon insertions. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.