Paraneoplastic optic neuropathy with histopathological verification of absence of meningeal metastases

Abstract

In a patient with known carcinoma of the kidney and bilateral optic neuropathy, postmortem histological investigation of the retina, and intra- and extraorbital portions of the optic nerves, was performed. Demyelination and axonal loss in optic nerves was the only abnormality seen. There was no evidence of meningeal carcinomatosis. As far as could be retraced, this is the first case in whom true paraneoplastic optic neuropathy has been histopathologically verified by investigation of the optic nerves in their entirety.

Key Words:

• paraneoplastic optic neuropathy
• meningeal metastasis
• histopathology of retina and optic nerves