Spotlight on the pediatric eye: a pictorial review of orbital anatomy and congenital orbital pathologies

(What's the story) morning glory? MRI findings in morning glory disc anomaly

PURPOSE

Morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA) is a rare congenital ophthalmologic disorder. Historically it has been diagnosed fundoscopically, with little in the literature regarding its imaging findings. The purpose of this study is to further characterize the orbital and associated intracranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of MGDA in our tertiary pediatric center.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of fundoscopically-diagnosed cases of MGDA, that had been referred for MRI. All MRI studies were scrutinized for orbital and other intracranial abnormalities known to occur in association with MGDA.

RESULTS

18 of 19 cases of MGDA showed three characteristic MRI findings: funnel-shaped morphology of the posterior optic disc, abnormal soft tissue associated with the retrobulbar optic nerve, and effacement of adjacent subarachnoid spaces. The ipsilateral (intraorbital) optic nerve was larger in one patient and smaller in six. The ipsilateral optic chiasm was larger in two patients and smaller in one.

CONCLUSION

This study represents a comprehensive radiological-led investigation into MGDA. It describes the most frequently-encountered MRI findings in MGDA and emphasizes the importance of MRI in this cohort, i.e., in distinguishing MGDA from other posterior globe abnormalities, in assessing the visual pathway, and in screening for associated intracranial abnormalities - skull base/cerebral, vascular, and facial. It hypothesizes neurocristopathy as an underlying cause of MGDA and its associations. Caliber abnormalities of the ipsilateral optic nerve and chiasm are a frequent finding in MGDA. Optic pathway enlargement should not be labeled "glioma". (239/250).

Pediatric orbital lesions: ocular pathologies

Orbital pathologies can be broadly classified as ocular, extra-ocular soft-tissue (non-neoplastic and neoplastic), osseous, and traumatic. In part 1 of this orbital series, the authors will discuss the differential diagnosis and key imaging features of pediatric ocular pathologies. These include congenital and developmental lesions (microphthalmos, anophthalmos, persistent fetal vasculature, coloboma, morning glory disc anomaly, retinopathy of prematurity, Coats disease), optic disc drusen, infective and inflammatory lesions (uveitis, toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis), and ocular neoplasms (retinoblastoma, retinal hamartoma, choroidal melanoma, choroidal nevus). This pictorial review provides a practical approach to the imaging work-up of these anomalies with a focus on ocular US as the first imaging modality and additional use of CT and/or MRI for the evaluation of intracranial abnormalities. The characteristic imaging features of the non-neoplastic mimics of retinoblastoma, such as persistent fetal vasculature and Coats disease, are also highlighted.

Congenital mature orbital teratoma: A case report

Teratomas are gonadal or extragonadal neoplasms, derived from the three embryonic tissues, composed of germ cells of the neuroectoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. Congenital orbital teratoma (OCT) commonly affects the left orbit, primarily affecting women over men at a ratio of 2:1. We present the case of a female patient of 9 days of extrauterine life with a left mature congenital orbital teratoma. The orbit and oculoplastic service performed an orbital exenteration and total resection of the tumor mass.

Contralateral catheterization of the ophthalmic artery to deliver intra-arterial chemotherapy in retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is the most frequent ocular malignancy in the pediatric population and intra-arterial chemotherapy has emerged as the first-line treatment of this entity with cure rates ranging from 33-100%, depending on the severity of the disease. We present the case of an advanced retinoblastoma in a pediatric patient who underwent intra-arterial chemotherapy through a contralateral route due to unsuccessful catheterization of the ophthalmic artery. The patient was diagnosed with a class D retinoblastoma which underwent the catheterization of the ophthalmic artery through the contralateral internal carotid and through the anterior communicating artery. In this case, intra-arterial chemotherapy administration was successfully delivered without complications. Contralateral routes for intra-arterial chemotherapy are safe and allow adequate penetration of the chemotherapeutic drugs in cases where a well-developed anterior communicating artery is present.