Detection of Optic Perineuritis with MRI: A Retrospective Review

Optic perineuritis (OPN) refers to inflammation of the optic nerve sheath with lesser or absent inflammatory changes in the optic nerve itself. Often idiopathic, OPN has been noted in a variety of autoimmune and infectious disease states. Recognition of this condition is crucial as its natural history tends to involve progressive vision loss without intervention. Although clinical features and response to therapy can help differentiate OPN from other diseases of the optic nerve, the diagnosis is often made based on MRI findings. In this retrospective study, we aim to characterize the performance of masked radiologic interpretation in identifying cases of OPN.