title: Optic nerve hemangioblastoma: a case report.
abstract: Hemangioblastomas are World Health Organization (WHO) grade I tumors of uncertain histologic origin. These central nervous system tumors are most often found in the posterior fossa, brainstem, and spinal cord. There are fewer than 20 reported cases of optic nerve hemangioblastomas in the literature. We present a patient with visual decline found to have a mass arising from within the posterior orbital canal that grossly involved the optic nerve sheath. Neuropathologic evaluation showed hemangioblastoma. Although not a common tumor in this location, consideration of hemangioblastoma in the differential diagnosis is important as they can have a more aggressive course than other tumors of this region and have a detrimental effect on visual prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zywicke
authors.forename: Cheryl Ann
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vaphiades
authors.forename: Kristen O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Riley