Anatomical Study of MRI Optic Chiasm at the Bamako Anatomy Laboratory

Abstract

Roughly quadrangular, the chiasma presents many morphological variations. The optical chiasm, odd and symmetrical structure of the optical pathways, is a required passage of the axons of neurons for the visual pathways. Any modification of its morphology evokes a pathological process, generally tumoral. The quality of MRI images rivals that of anatomical slices. So the MRI is essential for the study of the chiasma. The aim of this work was to study the morphometry of the optic chiasm in patients addressed for cerebral MRI to the imaging department of the university hospital of the POINT-G, during the period from July 29, to November 30, 2016. All patients who had a normal examination of the optic chiasma, numbering 15, were included in this study. In 86.66% of cases the chiasma had a quadrilateral form. Its average length was 8.73 mm and its average width was 13 mm. The average thickness was 4.13 mm.