Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hickman, S. J. Articles by Miller, D. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hickman, S. J. Articles by Miller, D. H.

American Journal of Neuroradiology 26:951-956, April 2005
© 2005 American Society of Neuroradiology

HEAD AND NECK

Optic Nerve Diffusion Measurement from Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Optic Neuritis

Simon J. Hickman^a,b, Claudia A. M. Wheeler-Kingshott^a, Stephen J. Jones^c, Katherine A. Miszkiel^d, Gareth J. Barker^a,e, Gordon T. Plant^b and David H. Miller^a

^a NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
^b Department of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom
^c Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
^d Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
^e Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom

Address correspondence to Dr. Simon J. Hickman, NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Increases in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging are thought to be due to axonal disruption, and changes have been well documented in multiple sclerosis lesions. DW imaging of the optic nerves, however, presents many challenges. The goal of this study was to measure ADC in patients with optic neuritis by using zonal oblique multisection echoplanar imaging.

METHODS: The optic nerves of eighteen patients who had experienced an attack of optic neuritis 1 year previously and 11 control subjects were imaged with the diffusion sequence (usable data were available from 16 patients and 10 control subjects). The orbital optic nerves were segmented by a blinded observer by using a computer-assisted threshold-based contouring technique, and the mean ADC was determined.

RESULTS: The mean ADC from diseased optic nerves was 1324 x 10^–6mm²/s, compared with 990 x 10^–6mm²/s from healthy contralateral optic nerves (P = .005 versus diseased optic nerves) and 928 x 10^–6mm²/s from control optic nerves (P = .006 versus diseased optic nerves and P = .40 versus healthy contralateral optic nerves). The diseased optic nerve ADC correlated with both visual (e.g., r_S = 0.73; P = .001 for logMAR visual acuity) and electrophysiological parameters (e.g., r_S = –0.57, P = .021 for visual evoked potential central field amplitude [VEP]).

CONCLUSION: It has been possible to apply DW imaging in a patient population, and, in the chronic phase following optic neuritis, the correlation of mean ADC with the clinical and electrophysiological parameters suggests that the ADC is giving a surrogate measure of axonal disruption in the chronic, postinflammatory optic nerve lesion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. T. Naismith, J. Xu, N. T. Tutlam, A. Snyder, T. Benzinger, J. Shimony, J. Shepherd, K. Trinkaus, A. H. Cross, and S-K Song Disability in optic neuritis correlates with diffusion tensor-derived directional diffusivities Neurology, February 17, 2009; 72(7): 589 - 594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Merle, S. Olindo, A. Donnio, R. Richer, D. Smadja, and P. Cabre Retinal Peripapillary Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Neuromyelitis Optica Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., October 1, 2008; 49(10): 4412 - 4417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. M. Frohman, F. Costello, O. Stuve, P. Calabresi, D. H. Miller, S. J. Hickman, R. Sergott, A. Conger, A. Salter, K. H. Krumwiede, et al. Modeling Axonal Degeneration Within the Anterior Visual System: Implications for Demonstrating Neuroprotection in Multiple Sclerosis Arch Neurol, January 1, 2008; 65(1): 26 - 35. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Korsholm, K. H. Madsen, J. L. Frederiksen, A. Skimminge, and T. E. Lund Recovery from optic neuritis: an ROI-based analysis of LGN and visual cortical areas Brain, May 1, 2007; 130(5): 1244 - 1253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.S. Chen, P. Mukherjee, W.P. Dillon, and M. Wintermark Restricted diffusion in bilateral optic nerves and retinas as an indicator of venous ischemia caused by cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis. AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., October 1, 2006; 27(9): 1815 - 1816. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Rovaris, A. Gass, R. Bammer, S. J. Hickman, O. Ciccarelli, D. H. Miller, and M. Filippi Diffusion MRI in multiple sclerosis Neurology, November 22, 2005; 65(10): 1526 - 1532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M A Rocca, S J Hickman, L Bo, F Agosta, D H Miller, G Comi, and M Filippi Imaging the optic nerve in multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, October 1, 2005; 11(5): 537 - 541. [Abstract] [PDF]