title: Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging optic nerve parameters to optical coherence tomography and the visual field in glaucoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the viability of using magnetic resonance imaging measurement of optic nerve morphology as an objective analysis of glaucomatous damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study conducted at Tohoku University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight eyes of 19 patients with open-angle glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were scanned with T2-weighted and 3-T diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging, and parameters of the optic nerve, including fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficient and cross-sectional area, were determined. Conventional parameters of glaucomatous damage, including circumpapillary and macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, and mean deviation and average total deviation of the central 16 test points from the Humphrey Field Analyzer, were then compared with the magnetic resonance imaging-derived parameters. Spearman's coefficient of correlation was calculated to determine the significance of the correlation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlation coefficient between the magnetic resonance imaging parameters and the parameters of glaucomatous damage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean deviation was significantly correlated with all magnetic resonance imaging parameters (fractional anisotropy: r = 0.53, apparent diffusion coefficient: r = -0.44, cross-sectional area: r = 0.70). Circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy (r = 0.60) and cross-sectional area (r = 0.47), but not apparent diffusion coefficient (r = -0.29). Central macular function and macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness were also significantly correlated with magnetic resonance imaging parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optic nerve magnetic resonance imaging parameters were significantly correlated to glaucomatous damage. Magnetic resonance imaging analysis of the optic nerve may, thus, have value as an objective instrument to assess glaucomatous degeneration, including the function of the macula.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omodaka
authors.forename: Takaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tatewaki
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagasaka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araie
authors.forename: Shoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012607:Scotoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields
keywords: MRI; glaucoma; macular function; objective examination