Study of trigeminal neuralgia with magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging

Abstract

Objective To study the vascular compression on the ponline cistern of the trigeminal with magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and explore the clinical application value of DTI.Methods Sixty patients who were conformed by operation as having trigeminal neuralgia (TN) caused by responsible vascular compression (TN group) and 50 healthy volunteers (control group) were performed conventional MRI and horizontal DTI to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)value and fractional anisotropy (FA) value. Results The ADC value and FA value of trigeminal nerve in control group were (1.76±0.98)×10-3 mm2/s, and (0.40±18), respectively, no significant differences of the ADC value and FA value between the left and right trigeminal nerves were found (P>0.05). The ADC and FA values of the trigeminal nerve among the controls, patients with mild or severe compression and the patients with compression combined with neuratrophia were statistically difrerent(P<0.05). The ADC value in the oppression region was increased in 28 patients and unchanged in 4; the average ADC value in the NT group was significantly higher than that in the control group. FA value in the oppression region decreased in 15 patients, unchanged in11 and increased in 5; the average FA value in the NT group was lower than that in the control group. Conclusion DTI has its value in determining the vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve; the greater the degree of trigeminal nerve compression is, the higher the ADC value and the lower the FA value are. Key words: Trigeminal neuralgia; Vascular compression; Magnetic resonance imaging; Diffusion tensor imaging