Clinical Study Of Pattern Reversal Visual Evoked Potentials In The Assessment Of Visual Function In Patients With Visual Pathways Tumors

Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain the sensitivity of pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (PRVEP) in assessing disturbance of visual function in patients with tumors affecting the visual pathways, and to determine whether PRVEP are useful in indicating the location of dysfunction.Methods: 15 healthy volunteers and 63 patients with proven visual pathways tumors were determined by PRVEP. The visual field of both eye in 24 of 63 patients were tested by perimetry.Results: PRVEP wave P100 peak latency and amplitude are statistically significant difference between groups of patients and normal controls. The patients groups had delayed P100 and the majority also had either decreased amplitude, a poorly defined response, or both. The visual field deficit in 24 patients was a closed correlation between PRVEP response and the visual field test. In addition, PRVEP unilateral delayed wave P100 was associated with the optic never dysfunction in 8 patients with frontobasal tumors, PRVEP wave P100 crossed asymmetry was associated with the crossed fibers dysfunction in 12 patients with sellar region tumors, and PRVEP wave P100 uncrossed asymmetry was associated with postchiasmal dysfunction in 13 patients with occipital tumors and 5 patients with temporoparietal tumors.Conclusions: PRVEP are a sensitive test in revealing the disturbance of visual function in patients with visual pathways tumors. PRVEP findings contributed to understanding whether the dysfunction originated was in the optic nerve, chiasm, or postchiasmal pathway.