Abstract

 Background & Aims : Ischemic optic neuropathy due to occlusion of posterior cilliary artery is one of the most common causes of visual loss in people over the age of 50. The most common cause of this syndrome is carotid atherosclerosis in the setting of poor controlled diabetes and hypertension. There are many diagnostic tools for diagnosis of this syndrome which transcranial Doppler sonography is unique for its rapidity, easier performance, and noninvasiveness.

 Materials & Method : In this study, the results of transcranial Doppler sonography of 9 patients with Ischemic optic neuropathy over 1 year were evaluated that were referred by ophthalmologists.

 Results:�The flow indices of middle cerebral artery in both sides of all patients were within normal limits. In %66 of the patients, the flow velocity decreased in ophthalmic artery correlating with partial stenosis of ipsilateral internal carotid artery. The documented results by magnetic resonance angiography and the results of both methods were well correlated.

 Conclusion:�The results of this research like other similar analysis demonstrate the importance of transcranial Doppler sonography for diagnosis of Ischemic optic neuropathy.

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 Keywords:�Transcranial Doppler sonography, Ischemic optic neuropathy, Carotid atherosclerosis

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  Address : Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia, Iran. Tel: ( +98441) 3459538

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  E-mail: ashrafi_hamid@yahoo.com

  Source: UMJ 2009: 20(2): 154 ISSN: 1027-3727