title: Longitudinal assessment of childhood optic gliomas: relationship between flicker visual evoked potentials and magnetic resonance imaging findings.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate longitudinally functional and neuro-radiologic findings in childhood optic gliomas (OG), by comparing flicker visual evoked potentials (F-VEPs) with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes. Fourteen children (age range: 1-13 years) with OGs underwent serial F-VEP, MRI and neuro-ophthalmic examinations over a 38 month (median, range: 6-76) follow-up. F-VEPs were elicited by 8 Hz sine-wave flicker stimuli presented in a mini-Ganzfeld. Contrast-enhanced MRI examinations were performed. Results of both tests were blindly assessed by independent evaluators. F-VEPs were judged to be improved, stable or worsened if changes in the amplitude and/or phase angle of the response exceeded the limits of test-retest variability (+/-90th percentile) established for the same patients. MRI results were judged to show regression, stabilization or progression of OG based on its changes in size (+/-20%) or extension. Two to seven pairs of F-VEP/MRI examinations per patient (median: 4) were collected. Based on a total of 38 pairs of F-VEP/MRI examinations, both tests agreed in showing worsening (progression), stabilization and improvement (regression) in 5, 15 and 10 cases, respectively. In 3 cases, F-VEPs showed a worsening and MRI a stabilization, while in 5 cases F-VEPs showed an improvement and MRI a stabilization. Agreement between F-VEP and MRI changes was 78.9% (95% CI: +/- 37%, K statistics = 0.67, P < 0.001). The results indicate that longitudinal F-VEP changes can predict changes in MRI-assessed OG size and extension, providing a non-invasive functional assay, complementary to neuro-imaging, for OG follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, Catholic University, Largo F. Vito 00136, Rome, Italy. md0571@mclink.it
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Falsini
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziccardi
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lazzareschi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Placentino
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dickmann
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liotti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccardi
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balestrazzi
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colosimo
authors.forename: Concezio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Rocco
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riccardi
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D020339:Optic Nerve Glioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents