Reduced Caliber of the Ophthalmic Artery in Magnetic Resonance Angiography in Patients after Retinal Artery Occlusion

Abstract

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is caused by embolic occlusion of retinal arteries. Previous strokes in the medical history were reported in up to 20% of patients. According to data from a computational blood flow analysis based on magnetic resonance imaging of a patient with RAO, about 90% of ascending emboli are washed into the brain, leaving speculations about further embolic sources for RAO, such as plaques or stenosis of the ophthalmic artery. The aim of this study was to examine the reduced caliber of the ophthalmic artery in magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). An analysis of a prospective case series of 9 patients with newly diagnosed RAO, presenting at the outpatient department. Magnetic resonance angiography of the brain, including the ophthalmic artery and carotid siphon was performed in all patients and evaluated by an experienced radiologist also specialised in neuroradiology. Outcomes were compared to an age-matched control group of 9patients without RAO. Four of 9 patients (44.4%) had a reduced caliber of the ophthalmic artery, two only at the side of RAO and another two bilateral. One of these cases also had a severe steno-occlusive disease of the internal carotid artery in the MRA, being in accordance with the results from duplex-sonography of the internal carotid artery. None of the patients in the control group had any signs of stenosis of the ophthalmic artery. Reduced caliber of the ophthalmic artery in MRA is present in almost half of patients with RAO and indicates that steno-occlusive disease of the ophthalmic artery could be a possible source of emboli, causing RAO.