Aims and objectives
Optic neuritis (ON) is an acute inflammatory demyelinating disorder,
primarily an isolated phenomenon or secondarily associated with other neurological diseases as neuromyelitis optica or multiple sclerosis (MS) [1].
Its most common symptoms include unilateral,
subacute visual loss with variable degree of severity,
periocular pain on eye movements,
dyschromatopsia,
without systemic or other neurological symptoms.
The presentation is mostly monophasic but can also rarely be polyphasic with recurrent relapses.
ON is most frequently seen in females,
F:M=3:1,
diagnosed in young adults aging 20-45 years; mean age...
Methods and materials
We retrospectively revised the ophthalmological,
neurological and imaging data of patients who presented to our Emergency Department (ED) with the first episode of acute ON from january 2015 to January 2017 (N= 85).
We excluded some patients according to the following criteria:
- patients aged<18 years
- previous episodes of ON
- history of MS or NMO
- patients affected by known ophthalmological diseases
- patients affected by known immunological / infective disorders
- patients with previous neurological events
- patients with family history of...
Results
Brain MRIs were:
normal : 9 patients/37
nonspecific : 9/37
suspected demyelination : 13/37
MS-like : 6/37
Optic nerves MRIs were reported as:
normal : 14 eyes/41
STIR- alteration without contrast enhancement (CE) : 13/41
STIR signal abnormalities + CE : 14/41
Optic nerves pathologic findings were localized in 3 sites:
intraorbital (IO) : 19 eyes/41
canalicular (CA) : 16/41
intraorbital + canalicular: 6/41
chiasmal (CH) : 0/41
The extension of altered signal or CE was measured in cm: extension range: 0.5-2 cm; extension mean:...
Conclusion
BRAIN MRI findings do not correlate with visual outcome,
but with development of MS.
ORBITS MRI findings do not correlate with visual acuity,
nor with visual outcome,
but are correlated with RNFL at OCT.
MRI brain features and lesions number can predict the risk of MS conversion.
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