Optic neuritis: evaluation with orbital Doppler sonography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate orbital blood flow velocities with Doppler sonography in patients with acute unilateral optic neuritis.


METHODS
Orbital Doppler sonography was performed in 20 patients with acute unilateral optic neuritis. Optic neuritis was diagnosed by a neurologist on the basis of clinical presentation, presence of decreased visual acuity, and assessment of visual evoked potentials. The peak systolic and end diastolic velocities and the resistive index were measured in the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries of both orbits. The values obtained from affected and unaffected orbits were compared by using the paired t test.


RESULTS
The peak systolic and end diastolic velocities in the ophthalmic artery were significantly increased in the affected orbits (for peak systolic velocity P <.001, for end diastolic velocity P <.05). Resistive indexes in the ophthalmic arteries did not differ (P >.05). The difference between the peak systolic and end diastolic velocities and resistive indexes in the central retinal arteries of affected and normal eyes was not statistically significant (P >.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Peak systolic and end diastolic velocities in the ophthalmic artery are increased in patients with acute optic neuritis.
Karaali
Kamil
K
Department of Radiology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, 07070 Antalya, Turkey. karaali@med.akdeniz.edu.tr
Senol
Utku
U
Aydin
Hülya
H
Cevikol
Can
C
Apaydin
Ali
A
Lüleci
Ersin
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler