Acute retinal necrosis MRI

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.

Overview

MRI imaging may reveal lesions indicative of infection from acute retinal necrosis pathogens.

MRI imaging may reveal the following indicators of acute retinal necrosis:^[1]

Increased T2 signal intensity in the optic pathway: optic nerves, optic chiasm, lateral geniculate bodies, optic radiations, visual cortex, midbrain structures, trigeminal nerves, and meninges
- Increased intensity may reveal lesions indicative of Herpes simplex virus or Cytomegalovirus infection
Contrast enhanced CT T1-weighted images may reveal enhancement of optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tracts, optic radiation, semilunar ganglion–Meckel cave, meninges, and midbrain

↑ Bert RJ, Samawareerwa R, Melhem ER (2004). “CNS MR and CT findings associated with a clinical presentation of herpetic acute retinal necrosis and herpetic retrobulbar optic neuritis: five HIV-infected and one non-infected patients”. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 25 (10): 1722–9. PMID 15569737.