Magnetic resonance imaging of the brainstem and cranial nerves III–VII

✍ Scribed by Charles Majoie

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 71 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-3185
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.10051

✦ Synopsis

High-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging allows detailed visualization of the brainstem, the cisterna, part of the skull base and extracranial segments of the cranial nerves. However, the nuclei of the cranial nerves cannot be visualized as separate structures. Only the expected locations of these nuclei in the brainstem can be visualized. This presentation will demonstrate the MR anatomy of cranial nerves III-VII from the brainstem to the distal extracranial branches and demonstrate a variety of disease entities affecting these nerves. Disease entities to be discussed include vascular, neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious lesions. Special attention will be paid on MR imaging of neurovascular compression disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm. Correlation of electromyographic (EMG) examination of the trigeminal reflexes and MR imaging studies of the trigeminal nerve will also be demonstrated.