Clinical Presentation:
Optic neuritis, an inflammatory lesion of the optic nerve, results in a reduction of visual activity, abnormal color vision, pain, and afferent papillary defect. This disorder is seen in 87% of multiple sclerosis patients, but is also associated with ischemia, sarcoid, tuberculosis, viral infection, toxoplasomosis, radiation therapy, systemic lupus erythematosus, and syphilis.
Pathology:
Inflammatory lesion of the optic nerve.
Image Findings:
The optic nerve appears normal in size, but will show high intensity on T2WI and perivenous inflammation in 50% of patients with the disorder. The motion and volume averaging of CSF also appears abnormal.