[Diagnostic studies of optic neuritis in children and adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the sensitivity of various diagnostic methods in the optic neuritis.


METHODS
15 patients, 10 boys and 5 girls, aged 6-18 years, with optic neuritis have been examined. Multiple sclerosis was diagnosed in 12 cases, the etiology of 3 was unknown. The full ophthalmological examination, including static perimetry and visual evoked potentials (VEP) as well as brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed.


RESULTS
MRI revealed plaques of demyelination in 11 patients; no pathological changes were observed in cases of idiopathic neuritis. In CT plaques of demyelination were found in 2 patients only. In most cases VEPs were abnormal, mainly there was prolonged latency of deflection, decreased amplitude and more rarely changes of the shape of the record. Static perimetry, with white and blue target, revealed multiple scattered absolute and relative scotoma in the 30 degrees central area.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI and static perimetry were the most sensitive methods for detection of the changes in optic neuritis and these methods are also useful in cases with asymptomatic involvement of visual pathway, especially in multiple sclerosis.
Bernardczyk-Meller
J
J
Kliniki Okulistycznej AM w Poznaniu.
Galas-Zgorzalewicz
B
B
Gradzki
J
J
Meller
M
M
Paprzycki
W
W
Toczko
A
A
Załecki
K
K
Zgorzalewicz
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012607:Scotoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D058609:Visual Field Tests