FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF VISUAL FUNCTION IN POSTPAPILLEDEMA OPTIC ATROPHY

We studied a girl with intraventricular brain tumor who developed post papilledema optic atrophy and severe concentric visual field constrict ion in both eyes. The patient had mild symptoms despite severe visual field loss. We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging using t wo kinds of visual stimulation to assess her residual visual function. The functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that the activ ity in her association visual cortex was largely intact bilaterally, a lthough the activation of the calcarine cortex was decreased in the le ft calcarine cortex. Her activity in the visual cortex seemed to corre spond well to her visual symptom. Functional magnetic resonance imagin g may be useful in objectively documenting residual visual function in patients with severe visual loss.