To evaluate the efficacy of STIR (short tau inversio recovery ) image in the diagnosis of orbital diseases, we compared the STIR images with conventional SE(spin-echo) images in 17 patients. The fat signal was reliably nulled at inversion time of approximately 160-170 msec in all cases. We analyzed all the cases in the aspects of the detection of lesion and the lesion-to-back ground contrast retrospectively. Regarding lesion, the detection rates of STIR, T1 and T2-weighted images were 89, 88 and 83% respectively. In the aspect of lesion-to-background contrast, the contrast ratios of STIR and T1, T2-weighted image were 87% and 64, 56%, respectively. In conclusion, STIR images were similar to T1-and T2-weighted images in the detection of lesion, but superior in the aspect of lesion-to-background contrast. So the STIR images may be a useful adjunct to conventional SE images for the diagnosis of orbital disease.