PURPOSE: We present a 4-year-old girl with isolated visual loss related to a bilateral oedematous optic neuropathy of unknown origin, occurring after an episode of viral illness. METHODS: A cerebral MRI was performed, showing bilateral enhancement of the optic nerves and bilateral, diffuse, cerebral white matter lesions. RESULTS: The MRI scan suggested acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Treatment with intravenous steroids and immunoglobulins resulted in favourable visual recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral isolated optic neuritis in childhood may be the only presenting symptom in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which requires appropriate evaluation and therapeutic management.
PURPOSE: We present a 4-year-old girl with isolated visual loss related to a bilateral oedematous optic neuropathy of unknown origin, occurring after an episode of viral illness. METHODS: A cerebral MRI was performed, showing bilateral enhancement of the optic nerves and bilateral, diffuse, cerebral white matter lesions. RESULTS: The MRI scan suggested acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Treatment with intravenous steroids and immunoglobulins resulted in favourable visual recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral isolated optic neuritis in childhood may be the only presenting symptom in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which requires appropriate evaluation and therapeutic management.
Authors: Sai A Nagaratnam; Alex C Ferdi; John Leaney; Raymond Lam Kwong Lee; Yun Tae Hwang; Robert Heard Journal: BMC Neurol Date: 2022-02-12 Impact factor: 2.474