NONNEOPLASTIC CHORIORETINAL ENHANCEMENT PATTERNS IN MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE EYE

OBJECTIVE: To define the role of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a possible adjunct to funduscopy and ultrasonography in a selected sample of non-neoplastic disorders of the chorioretina. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of five patients (rang ing in age from 3 to 78 years) with one of the following diagnoses: oc ular toxocariasis, staphyloma, glaucoma, or ocular involvement of cyto megalovirus (CMV) infection or AIDS. All of the patients underwent MRI , and the findings were correlated with those of funduscopy and ultras onography when possible, RESULTS: There were two abnormal MRI enhancem ent patterns, one with and the other without major distortion of the c horioretina. Areas of abnormal enhancement correlated well with the fu nduscopic findings. For the patient with CMV infection and the one wit h AIDS, who were not examined with ultrasonography, MRI showed subtle chorioretinal abnormalities. In the other three cases, for which both ultrasonography and MRI were performed, the findings of the two method s correlated well. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography remains the imaging mo dality of choice in the work-up of most ocular abnormalities. Ultrason ography, MRT and computed tomography are recommended when funduscopy i s technically not possible. Because contrast-enhanced MRI is often per formed to define the remainder of the orbit, as well as extra-orbital structures, and because of its capability to demonstrate abnormalities of the chorioretina, this modality may serve as a useful adjunct to u ltrasonography. Further studies are needed to compare the efficacy of contrast-enhanced MRI and ultrasonography in the evaluation of small, nonneoplastic lesions of the chorioretina.