title: Electroretinography and Visual Evoked Potentials in Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors.
abstract: This population-based cross-sectional study evaluates the clinical value of electroretinography and visual evoked potentials in childhood brain tumor survivors. A flash electroretinography and a checkerboard reversal pattern visual evoked potential (or alternatively a flash visual evoked potential) were done for 51 survivors (age 3.8-28.7 years) after a mean follow-up time of 7.6 (1.5-15.1) years. Abnormal electroretinography was obtained in 1 case, bilaterally delayed abnormal visual evoked potentials in 22/51 (43%) cases. Nine of 25 patients with infratentorial tumor location, and altogether 12 out of 31 (39%) patients who did not have tumors involving the visual pathways, had abnormal visual evoked potentials. Abnormal electroretinographies are rarely observed, but abnormal visual evoked potentials are common even without evident anatomic lesions in the visual pathway. Bilateral changes suggest a general and possibly multifactorial toxic/adverse effect on the visual pathway. Electroretinography and visual evoked potential may have clinical and scientific value while evaluating long-term effects of childhood brain tumors and tumor treatment.
authors.affiliation: Rinnekoti Foundation, Espoo, Finland sari.pietila@sci.fi.
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietilä
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lenko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oja
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna-Maija
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Koivisto
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hatanpää Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pietilä
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Cancer Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mäkipernaa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D000073116:Cancer Survivors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004596:Electroretinography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: brain tumor; childhood; electroretinography; late effects; visual evoked potentials