NEUROMYELITIS-OPTICA IN CHILDHOOD - CASE-REPORT WITH SEQUENTIAL MRI FINDINGS

Transverse myelitis and optic neuritis may be acute, self-limiting dis orders or may be the presenting manifestations of multiple sclerosis. The occurrence of transverse myelitis demands an investigation to excl ude an expanding or compressive spinal cord lesion. Infectious and inf lammatory processes must be excluded in patients with optic neuritis. When transverse myelitis and optic neuritis occur together, this is ca lled neuromyelitis optica, or Devic's syndrome. Neuromyelitis optica i s rare in childhood, as is each disorder occurring alone. A literature review in 1985 by Whitham and Brey revealed over 300 cases in all age s (although only 80 are in the English language literature) and none y ounger than 6 years of age.(1) We report a 4-year-old boy with neuromy elitis optica who presented with transverse myelitis and subsequently developed optic neuritis. The sequential magnetic resonance imaging (M RI) findings are described, and the differential diagnosis discussed.