Sensitivity Profile of B-Scan for Retinal Detachment in  Diabetic Retinopathy: a Systematic Review:

javeria khan; Arif Rasheed

doi:10.46829/hsijournal.2026.7.9.1.1579-1588

javeria khan Department of Radiography and Imaging, Green International University, Lahore, Pakistan; Department of Radiological Sciences and Medical Imaging Technology, Ibadat International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Arif Rasheed Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, COMSATS, Islamabad, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2026.7.9.1.1579-1588

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy (DR), retinal detachment (RD), optical coherence tomography (OCT), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), tractional retinal detachment (TRD), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR)

Abstract

Background: Retinal detachment is an ocular complication of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment globally. It can occur as a consequence of tractional forces due to fibrovascular proliferation or because of a combination of tractional and rhegmatogenous causes. It needs to be detected early and corrected to allow prompt intervention and favorable visual
outcomes.
Objective: To assess the diagnostic validity of B-scan ultrasonography in identifying retinal detachment in diabetic retinopathy patients with media opacities where optical coherence tomography (OCT) is suboptimal.
Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published within the last decade was undertaken using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Included studies evaluated the diagnostic utility of B-scan ultrasonography for the diagnosis of retinal detachment in diabetic retinopathy with comparison to other imaging techniques. Studies addressing media opacities only were considered.
Results: B-scan ultrasound repeatedly demonstrated excellent sensitivity (>90%) in the detection of retinal detachment despite the presence of dense cataract or vitreous hemorrhage. It was however not able to consistently distinguish between tractional and rhegmatogenous detachment.
Conclusion: B-scan ultrasound is still a very sensitive, cost-effective, and generalizable imaging modality for the detection of retinal detachment in diabetic retinopathy where OCT or fundoscopy is not an option. Additional imaging will still be necessary for accurate classification of detachment type.