POSTER SECTIONS Coverpage Learning objectives Background Findings and procedure details Conclusion Personal information and conflict of interest References

ECR 2021 / C-11741

Optic gliomas in adults: What radiologists should know?

Congress:

ECR 2021

Poster Number:

C-11741

Type:

Educational Exhibit

Keywords:

CNS, Eyes, Neuroradiology brain, CT, MR, Structured reporting, Neoplasia

Authors:

A. Klemencic¹, M. Smoljan², D. Zadravec²; ¹Sveta Nedelja/HR, ²Zagreb/HR

DOI:

10.26044/ecr2021/C-11741

DOI-Link:

https://dx.doi.org/10.26044/ecr2021/C-11741

Learning objectives

To present optic pathway glioma in adulthood and to describe imaging modalities of this disease with pictorial examples of the tumor and its differential diagnoses.

Background

Optic nerve gliomas are the most frequent neoplasms of the optic nerve. They account for 1% of all intracranial tumors (1). Only 25% of optic gliomas are confined to the optic nerve itself, while in 40-75% of cases optic gliomas involve chiasm, hypothalamus and other structures (2). They mostly arise as histologically benign tumors during childhood and in young adults. However, a highly aggressive and malignant form of optic glioma can occur in older adults, which often results in blindness and fatal outcome in a...

Findings and procedure details

Optic glioma in childhood The majority of patients with optic nerve glioma present before the age of 10 (1). Childhood cases are often seen in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) (2). Optic nerve gliomas that arise in childhood are usually relatively benign, low-grade tumors, such as pilocytic or fibrillary astrocytoma (3). Patients with optic nerve gliomas can be asymptomatic or may present with symptoms that depend on the location of the tumor. Among symptomatic patients, the most common symptoms are diminished vision and proptosis,...

Conclusion

Optic nerve glioma is a neoplasm that typically occurs in early childhood. However, a late-onset adult malignant form of optic nerve glioma exists and is a rare, highly aggressive visual pathway tumor that presents with bilateral visual loss and has a fatal outcome in virtually all cases. MRI is the imaging modality of choice.

Personal information and conflict of interest

A. Klemencic: Nothing to disclose M. Smoljan: Nothing to disclose D. Zadravec: Nothing to disclose

References

1. Helmut Wilhelm. Primary optic nerve tumors. Curr Opin Neurol. 2009 Feb;22(1):11-8. PMID: 19155759 2. J Shapey, H V Danesh-Meyer, A H Kaye. Diagnosis and management of optic nerve glioma. J Clin Neurosci. 2011 Dec;18(12):1585-91. PMID: 22071462 3. Binning M J, Liu J K, Kestle J R W, Brockmeyer D L, Walker M L. Optic pathway gliomas: a review. Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23(5):E2. PMID: 18004964 4. Shofty B, Constantini S, Bokstein F, Ram Z, Ben-Sira L, Freedman S, Vainer G, Kesler A. Optic pathway gliomas in...

Fig 1: Figure 1. Sagittal (A), axial (B) and coronal (C) T1-WI. Malignant glioma of...

Fig 2: Figure 2. Postcontrast sagittal (A), axial (B) and coronal (C) T1-WI. Intense...

Fig 3: Figure 3. Postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI in coronal (A, C, D) and axial (B) plane....

Fig 4: Figure 4. T2-WI in coronal (A) and axial (B) planes and axial FLAIR (C,...

Fig 5: Figure 5. Axial (A, B) and coronal (C) T2-WI; axial FLAIR images (D, E)....

Fig 6: Figure 6. Postcontrast T1-WI in axial plane (A); postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI in...

Fig 7: Figure 7. Axial CT image (A); axial T2-WI (B); axial postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI...

Fig 8: Figure 8. T2-WI (A) and postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI (B) in axial...

Fig 9: Figure 9. T1-WI in coronal (A, B) and postcontrast T1-WI (C) in axial plane....

Fig 10: Figure 10. Coronal STIR image. Thickening of the left optic nerve sheath due...

Fig 11: Figure 11. Postcontrast fat-sat axial T1-WI. Meningioma of the left optic...

Fig 12: Figure 12. CT images in axial (A) and sagittal (B) planes. Optic nerve...

Fig 13: Figure 13.: T2-WI (A) and postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI (B, C) in coronal planes....

Fig 14: Figure 14. Axial T2-WI (A); postcontrast fat-sat T1-WI in axial (B) and coronal...