Radiation-induced optic neuropathy: A magnetic resonance imaging study

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Neurosurgery; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3171/jns.1991.74.3.0426· OSTI ID:5979925

Guy, J; Mancuso, A; Beck, R; Moster, M L; Sedwick, L A; Quisling, R G; Rhoton, Jr, A L; Protzko, E E; Schiffman, J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (USA)

Optic neuropathy induced by radiation is an infrequent cause of delayed visual loss that may at times be difficult to differentiate from compression of the visual pathways by recurrent neoplasm. The authors describe six patients with this disorder who experienced loss of vision 6 to 36 months after neurological surgery and radiation therapy. Of the six patients in the series, two had a pituitary adenoma and one each had a metastatic melanoma, multiple myeloma, craniopharyngioma, and lymphoepithelioma. Visual acuity in the affected eyes ranged from 20/25 to no light perception. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed sellar and parasellar recurrence of both pituitary adenomas, but the intrinsic lesions of the optic nerves and optic chiasm induced by radiation were enhanced after gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (DTPA) administration and were clearly distinguishable from the suprasellar compression of tumor. Repeated MR imaging showed spontaneous resolution of gadolinium-DTPA enhancement of the optic nerve in a patient who was initially suspected of harboring recurrence of a metastatic malignant melanoma as the cause of visual loss. The authors found the presumptive diagnosis of radiation-induced optic neuropathy facilitated by MR imaging with gadolinium-DTPA. This neuro-imaging procedure may help avert exploratory surgery in some patients with recurrent neoplasm in whom the etiology of visual loss is uncertain.

• OSTI ID: 5979925
• Journal Information: Journal of Neurosurgery; (USA), Vol. 74:3; ISSN 0022-3085
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
SENSE ORGANS DISEASES
RADIOINDUCTION
DTPA
EYES
NEOPLASMS
NMR IMAGING
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NUCLEAR MEDICINE
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