3D FLAIR Versus Coronal T2-WI MRI in Detecting Optic Neuritis in Patients Presenting With Acute Visual Loss and Otherwise Normal Ophthalmological Examination

3D FLAIR, 3D T1 FAT SAT, coronal T2 and coronal T1 dixon sequences were usually used to assess visual deficits in MRI. Optic nerve examination is preferably performed using a coronal T2 sequence in order to detect a hypersignal suggestive of inflammation whereas brain examination is preferably performed using a 3D FLAIR sequence to highlight signs of spatial dissemination and lesions suggestive of multiple slerosis (MS).

Recently, a study based on a small number of patients showed the interest of 3D FLAIR in the detection of the hypersignal of the optic nerve.The objective of this retrospective study is to determine whether a single 3D FLAIR sequence allows simultaneous exploration of the optic nerve and the brain for the positive diagnosis of optic neuropathy and/or MS.