[The use of A-scan echography in the clinical diagnoses of persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) (AUTHOR'S TRANSL)].

In 15 eyes with PHPV (3 suspected cases) patterns of rudimentary hyaloid vessels were found by A-scan echography in 9 cases all under 7 years of age; although these vessels were seen ophthalmoscopically in only 1 case. This ultrasonographic finding appears to add an important contribution to the clinical diagnosis of PHPV, when the monolateral cataract is so dense as to observe other signs (elongated ciliary processes, retrolental fibrovascular tissue). It could also be demonstrated that the axial diameter of the lens remains smaller than that of the partner eye even when the cataract is intumescent with fattening of the anterior chamber. Contrary to our expectations, the axial length of the bulbus was increased in one third of the cases; while a relative microcornea was absent only in 2 eyes!