1.Value of MRI in diagnosis of giant cell arteritis
Syazarina Sharis Osman ; Amin Ahem
Neurology Asia 2012;17(4):369-372
Giant-cell arteritis is an infl ammatory disease of blood vessels most commonly involving large and
medium arteries of the head, predominately the branches of the external carotid artery. It is a form
of vasculitis. Giant-cell arteritis of the temporal artery is referred to as “temporal arteritis”. Giant
cell arteritis is rare among Asians. Diagnosis is based on American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
classifi cation criteria for giant-cell arteritis with gold standard temporal artery biopsy.1
Blindness is a
feared complication, mostly caused by anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy. High-resolution magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) has started to play a role in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. Evidence
of arteritis involving the superfi cial temporal arteries with mural thickening and even the ophthalmic
arteries can be seen on MRI, which further increase the diagnostic confi dence prior to biopsy.2,3 Optic
perineuritis is a rare association with giant cell arteritis. MRI is required for diagnosis especially for
differentiation from optic neuritis.4 We report a case of giant cell arteritis with optic perineuritis to
demonstrate the role of MRI in the diagnosis.
2.Recalcitrant cystoid macular oedema in an eye with ischaemic central retinal vein occlusion- what's next?
Meng Hsien Yong ; Amin Ahem ; Mushawiahti Mustapha ; MaeLynn Catherine Bastion
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2015;70(6):358-360
We report a case of a middle-aged gentleman with
recalcitrant macular oedema (RMO) secondary to ischaemic
central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). He was given six
injections of intravitreal ranibizumab (anti-VEGF) monthly.
However, his visual acuity (VA) deteriorated and the macular
oedema worsened. He then received an intravitreal
dexamethasone implant eight months post-CRVO. His VA
and macular oedema improved dramatically and
significantly at first follow-up and remained stable at six
months after implant.
This case can be a reference for those who treating
recalcitrant macular oedema. It shows the effect of an
intravitreal dexamathasone implant might have in a patient
with RMO due to CRVO. The patient enjoyed improvement of
vision, with clinical evidence of reduction in central macular
thickness (CMT) and with no serious adverse events after a
single injection up to six months post implant.