Bilateral optic nerve infiltration in central nervous system leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
To report the case of a 58-year-old man with sequential bilateral retrolaminar leukemic infiltration of the optic nerves who presented with normal-appearing optic nerves and no optic nerve enhancement.


METHODS
Interventional case report.


METHODS
A 58-year-old man with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) developed progressive vision loss to no light perception in both eyes over four days. The patient received 14 doses of external beam irradiation and 10 cycles of intrathecal cytarabine. Despite treatment, he developed optic nerve pallor, and visual acuity remained no light perception in both eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
In a patient with leukemia, leukemic optic nerve infiltration may occur even with normal-appearing optic nerves and a normal magnetic resonance image. It is important to maintain a high clinical suspicion for optic nerve infiltration so that prompt local irradiation may be initiated.
Schocket
Lisa S
LS
Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Massaro-Giordano
Mina
M
Volpe
Nicholas J
NJ
Galetta
Steven L
SL
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003561:Cytarabine