MRI Analysis of The Relationship between The Root Entry Zone of Trigminal nerve and Adjacent Vessels

Objective:To analyse the relationship between the root entry zone of trigeminal nerve and adjacent vessels.Methods:Analysis of the cerebellopontine angle zone MRI images of 50 cases.All patients scanned by 3D-CISS sequence,and 22 patients of them also scanned by Turbo Flash,SPACE,and VIBE sequence(contrast enhancement).Evaluate the relationship type between the root entry zone of trigeminal nerve and adjacent vessels.Results:The type of relationship between the root entry zone of trigeminal nerve and adjacent vessels of 50 patients(100 sides):separate type 40%,potential contact type 29%,positive contact type 31%,and no compression type be observed.Most of responsible vessels are superior cerebellar artery.Conclusion:The potential contact type and positive contact type of the relationship between trigeminal nerve and adjacent vessels are common in patients without trigeminal neuralgia.No nerve deformed and displacement be observed in general.The potential or positive contact relationship between the nerve and vessels in MRI can not be an strong evidence to prove it is the reason of trigeminal neuralgia.