3D Cranial Nerve Imaging, a Novel MR Neurography Technique Using Black-Blood STIR TSE with a Pseudo Steady-State Sweep and Motion-Sensitized Driven Equilibrium Pulse for the Visualization of the Extraforaminal Cranial Nerve Branches.

F Van Der Cruyssen,T.-M Croonenborghs,R Jacobs,R Hermans,J Casselman

doi:10.3174/ajnr.a6904

Abstract

This study investigated the feasibility of a 3D black-blood STIR TSE sequence with a pseudo steady-state sweep and motion-sensitized driven equilibrium pulse for extraforaminal cranial nerve imaging on a 3T system. Assessments of healthy volunteers showed near-perfect agreement in nerve visualization with excellent to good visualization of the extraforaminal trigeminal, greater occipital, and facial nerves. Suppression of surrounding tissues was excellent to good. 3D cranial nerve imaging can produce nerve selective imaging of extraforaminal cranial and spinal nerve branches.

Highlights

Being the largest cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve—its inferior alveolar and lingual branches—is frequently damaged during dental, oral, and maxillofacial surgical procedures.[1]
MR imaging has been widely applied to the visualization of cranial nerves.[2]
We developed a novel black-blood 3D STIR TSE sequence for extraforaminal cranial nerve imaging (3D CRANI) on a 3T system and here describe its assessment

Summary

Introduction

Being the largest cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve—its inferior alveolar and lingual branches—is frequently damaged during dental, oral, and maxillofacial surgical procedures.[1]. 578 Van der Cruyssen Mar 2021 www.ajnr.org to improve water and fat separation increases acquisition times considerably, making patient compliance difficult. We developed a novel black-blood 3D STIR TSE sequence for extraforaminal cranial nerve imaging (3D CRANI) on a 3T system and here describe its assessment.

Results

Conclusion