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Superior eyelid

The superior eyelid, commonly known as the upper eyelid, is a thin, mobile fold of skin and underlying tissue located above the eye. It plays a vital role in protecting the eye, maintaining ocular surface moisture, and contributing to facial expression. The superior eyelid contains muscles, connective tissue, glands, blood vessels, and nerves, and its detailed evaluation is crucial in radiology for identifying normal anatomy and pathological changes.

Synonyms

  • Upper eyelid

  • Palpebra superior (Latin)

  • Upper palpebra

Function

  • Shields the eyeball from debris, dust, and injury.

  • Spreads tear film evenly across the corneal surface with each blink.

  • Assists in lubrication and moisture retention of the eye.

  • Facilitates expression and communication through movement.

  • Contains glands (Meibomian and Zeis) essential for tear film stability.

MRI Appearance

T1-Weighted Images

  • The superior eyelid appears as a multi-layered structure:

    • Skin and subcutaneous fat: intermediate to high signal intensity.

    • Orbicularis oculi muscle: intermediate signal.

    • Tarsal plate: low signal intensity (due to dense connective tissue).

    • Glands: Meibomian glands may show slightly higher signal than muscle.

  • Clear distinction of layers is possible in high-resolution images.

T2-Weighted Images

  • Skin and muscle: intermediate signal.

  • Tarsal plate: low signal intensity.

  • Fatty tissue: high signal.

  • Glands: relatively high signal intensity due to fluid content.

  • Layers may appear more prominent due to contrast between fat and fibrous tissues.

STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery)

  • Fat: markedly suppressed signal (appears dark).

  • Muscle and tarsal plate: low to intermediate signal.

  • Edematous changes: hyperintense if present, aiding in detection of inflammation or pathology.

CT Appearance

  • Skin and subcutaneous tissues: low attenuation (less dense).

  • Tarsal plate: higher attenuation compared to muscle/fat (appears denser).

MRI images

Superior eyelid mri image