title: Visual evoked potential is superior to triple dose magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of optic nerve involvement.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether VEP is sensitive to optic neuritis (ON) when compared with triple dose orbital MRI. Twenty-four relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients were included in the study. Group I (n = 10) patients with acute ON, Group II (n = 8): patients presenting with a current relapse who had the history of ON in the previous relapses. Group III (n = 6): patients presenting with a current relapse but with no history of ON. Neuro-ophtalmological evaluation. VEP investigation and orbital MRI with triple dose (0.3 mmol/kg) gadolinium (Gd) were carried out for all. VEP was found to be 70% sensitive and 12.5% specific to the acute ON, whereas orbital MRI with triple dose Gd was 70% sensitive and 100% specific. In chronic ON, the sensitivity of orbital MRI is 0%, whereas the VEP is still 75% sensitive to chronic optic nerve involvement and can distinguish the pathology 100% specifically. In conclusion, orbital MRI with triple dose Gd is not more sensitive than VEP in determining the acute optic nerve pathologies but it is a 100% specific method. The results suggest that VEP is superior to the orbital MRI in determining the chronic optic nerve involvement.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Radiodiagnostics Medical School, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. goksemind@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Göksemin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozakbas
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cakmakci
authors.forename: Fethi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Idiman
authors.forename: Egemen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Idiman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D005682:Gadolinium