Magnetic resonance imaging features of congenital anophthalmia

Congenital anophthalmia (CA) is a rare malformation. Primary forms without development of optic nerves can be differentiated from secondary forms with rudimentary optic nerves and eye bulbi. Neuroradiologic examinations in these children are performed to differentiate primary from secondary forms and to exclude associated cerebral malformations. We report on 2 children with secondary CA, a 9-month-old girl with unilateral CA and a 3-year-old boy with bilateral CA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was superior to computerized tomography (CT) in the delineation of the rudimentary optic nerves and tracts as well as the intraorbital contents. In addition magnetic resonance images revealed partial agenesis of the corpus callosum and microgyria of the calcarine cortex in the boy. These results suggest that MRI should replace CT in the diagnosis of CA.