Signal Alteration in the Optic Nerve Head on 3D T2-weighted MRI: a Potential Neuroimaging Sign of Glaucomatous Optic Neuropathy.

Of the 35 eyes with glaucoma, 26 eyes (74.3%) exhibited an SA in the ONH, whereas it was observed in 5 (16.1%) of the 31 controls (P < 0.001). The eyes with a prominent SA had a significantly different average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (P = 0.002) and the ONH parameters except for the disk area (all P < 0.001) than those without an SA. The eyes with a mild SA had a significantly narrower neural rim area, larger cup volume, and larger average and vertical cup-to-disk ratios compared with those without an SA (P = 0.011, 0.003, 0.004, and 0.004, respectively) Conclusions: The SA in the ONH on 3D T2-weighted MRI was significantly more frequent in eyes with open-angle glaucoma than in the controls.