The present study was conducted to (1) investigate the frequency of MRI and CT-Scan requests by various medical specialties based on patients’ neuro-ophthalmic complaints, and (2) determine the frequency of abnormal findings associated with patients’ primary complaints in MRIs and CT Scans.

This study was conducted as prospective and cross-sectional. Demographic information, physician groups, type of imaging, chief complaints, physician’s primary diagnosis, and imaging result were collected into a checklist. Relevant data were processed using SPSS software version 18. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant.

Totally, 271 patients (46.9% male and 53.1% female) participated in the study with mean age of 36 years old. The most common age interval was 21-40 years (120 patients, 44.3%). The images were ordered by neurologists (71.6%), ophthalmologists (15.4%), emergency medicine specialists (7%), general practitioners (3%) and internists (3%). MRI and CT scan imaging orders were 51.3% and 48.7%, respectively. In the present study, 96.7% patients for headache and 3.3% for eye problems had imaging. Positive imaging results were reported for 30.3% cases but paranasal sinusitis was the most common diagnosis. Solid mass was observed only in 2% of patients. Among abnormal imaging reports, clinical findings included headache (93.9%), eye pain (3.7%), low vision (1.2%), and ptosis (1.2%). However, in cases with normal imaging, clinical findings included headache (97.9%) and ophthalmic complaints (2.1%). P-values = 0.1 shows the relationship between clinical findings and imaging reports were not statistically significant.

In the present study, since 70% of patients had normal MRI and CT-scan, and sinusitis was the most common diagnosis problem, MRI or CT scan for this finding seems expensive and time consuming in first step. Also, paying more attention to accurate history taking, physical examination and standard criteria for imaging orders can reduce the frequency of unnecessary imaging