Intermembranaceous spaces of human optic nerve intracanal part

Abstract

AbstractPurpose Purpose of research ‐ to reveal laws of structure and distribution of intermembranaceous spaces of optic nerve intracanal part.Methods 43 bone blocks including optic canal with located in them membranes (dura, arachnoidea, pia), ophthalmic artery of people aged from 26 weeks of prenatal development till 75 years were histologically studied. The structure of optic nerve membranes and intermembranaceous spaces in the cranial, transitive and orbital compartments of optic canal were established. The received data were compared to optic canal MRI results of 27 patients (54 optic canals) aged from 2 months till 75 years on the "VISTA" МР‐tomograph 1 T intensity of magnetic field.Results Wide, uniform, continuous intermembranaceous spaces are characteristic for optic canal cranial compartment, medially and laterally of optic nerve they are more expressed. In optic canal orbital compartment subdural space is the narrowest, non‐uniform on MRI and bone blocks research. The subarahnoidal space is most expressed in cranial compartment of canal laterally of optic nerve above of it, and on MRI medially of nerve it is absent or narrow, non‐uniform, faltering crack (the similar data is received on histologic research). In transitive optic canal compartment there are separate fragments of subarahnoidal space or its absence in different directions from optic nerve (according to histologic research ‐ above of nerve). In orbital compartment this space in the most cases is closed above and below of optic nerve (by results of research of bone blocks ‐ on all circle of optic nerve).Conclusion The laws of intermembranaceous space structure and their distributions in optic canal were revealed. MRI was effective method in study of intermembranaceous spaces of optic nerve intracanal part.