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Dynamic Visual Tests to Identify and Quantify Visual Damage and Repair Following Demyelination in Optic Neuritis Patients
Published on: April 14, 2014
Directional diffusivity changes in the optic nerve and optic radiation in optic neuritis
1Key Laboratory of Complex Systems and Intelligence Science, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
The British Journal of Radiology
|March 19, 2011
Summary
Diffusion tensor MRI reveals myelin injury in optic neuritis. Acute optic neuritis shows increased radial diffusivity and decreased fractional anisotropy in optic nerves, with changes in optic radiation appearing after one year.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
Background:
- Optic neuritis (ON) involves optic nerve inflammation and demyelination.
- It serves as a model for studying white matter inflammatory demyelination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate diffusion changes in the optic nerve and optic radiation in acute and chronic ON patients using diffusion tensor (DT) MRI.
Main Methods:
- DT-MRI and T(1)/T(2) weighted MRI were used.
- 33 patients with idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (IDON) and 33 controls were examined.
Main Results:
- Acute IDON showed increased radial diffusivity (λ(⊥)) and decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in optic nerves.
- Subacute IDON exhibited reduced FA, increased λ(⊥), mean diffusivity (MD), and axial diffusivity (λ(∥)).
- Optic radiation changes (FA, λ(⊥)) were significant in patients with disease duration >1 year.
Conclusions:
- DT-MRI measures are effective biomarkers for assessing myelin injury.
- These findings highlight DT-MRI's utility in evaluating the visual pathway.
