Optic nerve glioma MRI

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [3]

Overview

On head and neck MRI, optic nerve glioma is characterized by isointense to hypointense mass on T1-weighted MRI, and hyperintense mass on T2-weighted MRI.

MRI

Radiographs no longer have any real role to play in the diagnosis of orbital masses, however if performed enlargement of the optic canal may be demonstrated if the tumor is not confined to the orbit. Additional findings of NF1 may also be visible. The diagnosis of optic nerve glioma is best made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows visualization of the entire course of the optic nerve. MRI also delineates hypothalamic involvement more clearly than computed tomography (CT).

The MRI features of optic nerve glioma include:^[1]


MRI component	Features

T1	Enlargement, often iso to hypointense compared to the contralateral side
T2	Hyperintense centrally Low signal at the periphery representing the dura
T1 C+ (Gd)	enhancement is variable

Axial T1 MRI showing bilateral optic nerve glioma^[2]

Coronal T2 MRI showing bilateral optic nerve glioma^[2]

References

↑ Optic nerve glioma. Radiopedia(2015) http://radiopaedia.org/articles/optic-nerve-glioma Accessed on October 2 2015
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Image courtesy of Dr Frank Gaillard. Radiopaedia (original file [1]).[http://radiopaedia.org/licence Creative Commons BY-SA-NC

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[radio-1] Optic nerve glioma. Radiopedia(2015) http://radiopaedia.org/articles/optic-nerve-glioma Accessed on October 2 2015

[radio1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Image courtesy of Dr Frank Gaillard. Radiopaedia (original file [1]).[http://radiopaedia.org/licence Creative Commons BY-SA-NC

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