Аcoustic characteristics of the optic nerve in children with normal and congenital pathologies

Abstract

AIM: To determine the acoustic biometric parameters of the optic nerve in children with normal and congenital pathologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 130 children (260 eyes) aged from 1 year to 16 years were examined. Of these children, 80 (160 eyes) had congenital pathologyhypoplasia and partial atrophy of the optic nerve (ON). The control group consisted of 50 healthy children (100 eyes), who had no ON and retina diseases and refractive errors, except for mild myopia. The healthy children and those with ON pathology were divided into age groups: 13 years (group 1), 410 years (group 2), and 1116 years (group 3). Ultrasound examination included measuring the thickness of the retrobulbar part of the ON sheaths. RESULTS: The average ON sheath thickness (ONST) of groups 1, 2 and 3 were 3.780.1, 4.260.06, and 4.190.09 mm, respectively. A statistically significant relationship was established by age and sex of the examined children and ONST (p 0.05). The mean ONST was significantly lower in girls than in boys (p 0.05). In 48 children (96 eyes), ONST decreased in groups 2 and 3 compared with the control group (p 0.05). In 32 children (64 eyes) with ON hypoplasia, the ONST significantly decreased in all age groups compared with the control group (p 0.05). CONCLUSION: The ultrasound examination of the ON can be used for the clinical and functional diagnosis for congenital anomalies (hypoplasia of the ON and ON partial atrophy) and pathological conditions of the brain.