J Korean Radiol Soc.  1995 Apr;32(4):541-544.

Incidence of Enhancement of the Optic Nerve/Sheath Complex in Fat-Suppression Orbit MRI

• Suh DC
• Choi CG
• Lee HK
• Yoon KH

Abstract

PURPOSE
To elucidate the incidence of Gd-DTPA enhancement of the optic nerve/sheath complex (ONC) in patients with various ophthalmopathies using fat-suppression MRI.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Orbit MRI with fat-suppression technique (ChemSat) was performed in 58 patients with normal and various orbital lesions. The fat-suppression MR was done with and without Gd-DTPA injection in all cases. MR findings were reviewed retrospectively in a blind fashion with respect to presence or absence of contrast enhancement of the O NC.
RESULTS
Contrast enhancement of the ONC was seen in 86% (6/7) of cavernous sinus lesions, 80% (8/10) of intraconal lesions excluding the ONC, 57% (16/28) of ONC lesions, 38% (3/8) of ocular lesions, and 2% (1/55) of normal orbits. The ONC enhancement was the most common in optic nerve/sheath tumors (10/10), and pseudotumors (6/6), cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous malformations (3/3) and cavernous sinus thrombosis (2/2), and less frequently seen in optic neuritis (3/14).
CONCLUSION
Enhancement of the ONC may be seen in lesions of the cavernous sinusand orbit other than optic nerve/sheath lesion.

MeSH Terms

Arteriovenous Malformations
Cavernous Sinus
Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis
Gadolinium DTPA
Humans
Incidence*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Optic Neuritis
Orbit*
Retrospective Studies
Gadolinium DTPA