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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging 2015; 25(04): 421-438
DOI: 10.4103/0971-3026.169462
Neuroradiology

Magnetic resonance imaging of optic nerve

Foram Gala
Department of Radiology, Lifescan Imaging Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Zurich/Children's Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, Switzerland
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Abstract

Optic nerves are the second pair of cranial nerves and are unique as they represent an extension of the central nervous system. Apart from clinical and ophthalmoscopic evaluation, imaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), plays an important role in the complete evaluation of optic nerve and the entire visual pathway. In this pictorial essay, the authors describe segmental anatomy of the optic nerve and review the imaging findings of various conditions affecting the optic nerves. MRI allows excellent depiction of the intricate anatomy of optic nerves due to its excellent soft tissue contrast without exposure to ionizing radiation, better delineation of the entire visual pathway, and accurate evaluation of associated intracranial pathologies.

Keywords

Magnetic resonance imaging - optic nerve - visual pathway


Publication History

Article published online:
30 July 2021

© 2015. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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