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Volumetric measurement of the posterior fossa and its components using magnetic resonance imaging in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia

J. Abarca-Olivas, E. Feliu-Rey, A. Pérez-Sempere, J. Sánchez-Payá, E. Baño-Ruiz, M.A. Caminero-Canas, J. Nieto-Navarro, C. Botella-Asunción [REV NEUROL 2010;51:520-524] PMID: 20979031 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.5109.2010427

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Volumen 51 | Number 09 | Nº of views of the article 13.651 | Nº of PDF downloads 568 | Article publication date 01/11/2010

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ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION The neurovascular conflict is now considered an unquestionable dogma in the pathophysiology of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN). However, there are more and more papers that provide information about other factors that promote such conflict or neuralgia itself. AIMS. To measure the volume of the substructures of the posterior fossa in patients with ITN and controls and to investigate the association between a reduced volume of these structures and the incidence of ITN.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS In 20 patients with unilateral ITN and 20 healthy participants, high resolution 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging scans including axial and coronal sequences T2-weighted with a slice thickness of 1 mm were performed with the aim of a volumetric study of pontomesencephalic cistern, Meckel’s cave and trigeminal nerve.

RESULTS Measuring the pontomesencephalic cistern on each side of the midline, the volume of the affected side cistern was significantly lower than the healthy side one in patients with ITN (p = 0.004) and also when compared with controls hemicisterns. No significant differences in the Meckel’s cave nor the trigeminal nerve were found. The incidence of neurovascular conflict was also studied resulting in 10% of patients with ITN where the conflict was not identified.

CONCLUSIONS Our data support the theory that a small volume of the posterior fossa cisterns containing the trigeminal nerve may increase the incidence of ITN. KeywordsNeurovascular conflict Pontomesencephalic cistern Trigeminal neuralgia Volumetry CategoriesDolor Patología vascular

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Original

Volumetric measurement of the posterior fossa and its components using magnetic resonance imaging in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia

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