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Diffusion MR imaging of postoperative bilateral acute ischemic optic neuropathy
Ju Young Park1, In Ho Lee, Chang June Song
1Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
Korean Journal of Radiology
|March 23, 2012
Summary
A 57-year-old woman developed bilateral acute ischemic optic neuropathy post-spine surgery. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) revealed restricted diffusion in optic nerves, aiding diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Spine surgery can lead to rare complications.
- Acute ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) is a potential neurological complication affecting vision.
Observation:
- A 57-year-old female patient presented with vision loss after spine surgery.
- Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging was performed to investigate the cause.
Findings:
- T2-weighted MR images showed subtle high signal intensity in both optic nerves.
- Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images revealed enhancement of the optic nerve sheath.
- Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps demonstrated markedly restricted diffusion in both optic nerves, indicative of cytotoxic edema.
Implications:
- While T2 and contrast-enhanced T1 findings can be nonspecific, DWI is crucial for diagnosing AION.
- This case highlights the utility of DWI in identifying cytotoxic edema in acute ischemic optic neuropathy following spine surgery.
