title: Longitudinally extensive optic neuritis in pediatric patients.
abstract: Extensive optic nerve demyelinating lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adults could indicate a diagnosis other than multiple sclerosis with worse prognosis such as neuromyelitis optica. We report the frequency of longitudinally extensive lesions in children with first events of optic neuritis. Subjects had brain or orbit MRI within 3 months of onset and were evaluated at the University of California, San Francisco, Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. Lesion length, determined by T2 hyperintensity or contrast enhancement, was blindly graded as absent, focal or longitudinally extensive (at least 2 contiguous segments of optic nerve). Of 25 subjects, 9 (36%) had longitudinally extensive optic neuritis. Extensive lesions were not associated with non-multiple sclerosis versus multiple sclerosis diagnosis (P = 1.00). No association between age and lesion extent was observed (P = .26). Prospective studies are needed to determine if longitudinally extensive optic neuritis can predict visual outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA Jennifer.Graves@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropediatrics, Children Hospital, Technische Universität, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Bruno P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Waubant
mesh_terms: D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4
keywords: MRI; multiple sclerosis; neuromyelitis optica; optic neuritis