MAGNETIC RESONANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEUROVASCULAR RELATIONSHIP AS A PROBABLE PREDICTOR OF TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Objective. To validate MR-criteria used for diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN).
Material and methods. Study population consisted of 133 patients: with trigeminal neuralgia (86, surgically (56) and clinically (30) verified; 55 ± 11 years) and control group (47; 51 ± 16 years). The data were obtained using the FIESTA sequence (slice thickness 0.5 mm) on 3T and 1.5T (Discovery 750w and Optima 450w, General Electric).
Results. The diameters of the adjacent vessels on the symptomatic side were significantly bigger than the diameters on the asymptomatic side in patients with neuralgia (medians 1.2 and 1 mm, p<0.001). The shortest distances between nerves and vessels on the symptomatic side were significantly smaller than the distances on the asymptomatic side (medians 0 and 1.6 mm, p<0.001). The distances between points of closest neurovascular contact and pons on the symptomatic side were significantly smaller in comparison with the controls (medians 2.7 and 5.3 mm, p<0.001); the distances between the symptomatic and asymptomatic side were not statistically different (medians 2.7 and 3.9 mm, p=0.09) in this parameter. The lengths of closest neurovascular contact was bigger in patient with TN (medians 3 and 0 mm, p<0.05), as well as in comparison with the asymptomatic side (medians 3 and 0 mm, p<0.0001).
Conclusion. Noninvasive MR-measurements of the posterior cranial fossa vessels show the differences between the symptomatic and asymptomatic side in the patients with TN as well as healthy individuals. This result may be used as a predictor of TN.

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