Isolated primary malignant lymphoma arising from the optic chiasm

Abstract

Isolated primary malignant lymphoma rarely arises from the anterior visual pathway. A 59-year-old previously healthy man presented with progressive, painless, bilateral visual disturbance. Neurological imaging revealed an enhancing mass arising from the optic chiasm. Open biopsy was carried out under monitoring of visual evoked potentials and a histopathological diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was made. As systemic examination did not show any evidence of systemic lymphoma, we concluded that this patient had an isolated primary malignant lymphoma at the anterior visual pathway.

Keywords: Anterior visual pathway; Biopsy; Primary central nervous system lymphoma; Visual evoked potential.