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Spinal cord MRI in clinically isolated optic neuritis
  1. C M Dalton1,
  2. P A Brex1,
  3. K A Miszkiel2,
  4. K Fernando1,
  5. D G MacManus1,
  6. G T Plant3,
  7. A J Thompson1,
  8. D H Miller1
  1. 1NMR Research Unit, Institute of Neurology, London, UK
  2. 2Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
  3. 3Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor D H Miller, NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK; 
 d.millerion.ucl.ac.uk

Abstract

Background/methods: One hundred and fifteen patients with clinically isolated optic neuritis underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord within 3 months of the onset of symptoms.

Results: Eighty one (70%) patients had brain lesions and 31 (27%) had cord lesions. Cord lesions were seen in 12% with a normal brain MRI, 21% with between one and eight brain lesions, and 45% with nine or more brain lesions. When the new diagnostic criteria for MS were applied, MRI cord imaging used for evidence of dissemination in time and space allowed a diagnosis of MS in only one additional asymptomatic patient at 1 year, two additional asymptomatic patients at 3 years.

Conclusions: Using existing criteria, spinal cord imaging rarely contributes to the diagnosis in patients with clinically isolated optic neuritis.

  • Keywords: MRI
  • optic neuritis
  • spinal cord
  • FSE, fast spin echo
  • MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
  • MS, multiple sclerosis
  • PD, proton density
  • TE, effective time
  • TR, repetition time

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.11.1577

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interest: none declared