Enhancement Pattern of the Normal Facial Nerve on Three - Dimensional (3D) - Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) Sequence at 3.0 T MR Units.
10.13104/jksmrm.2012.16.1.25
- Author:
Dongho HYUN
1
;
Hyun Kyung LIM
;
Jee Won PARK
;
Jong Lim KIM
;
Ha Young LEE
;
Soonchan PARK
;
Joong Ho AHN
;
Jung Hwan BAEK
;
Choong Gon CHOI
;
Jeong Hyun LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Korea. jeonghlee@ hanmir.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Temporal bone;
Facial nerve;
3D-FLAIR;
Enhancement
- MeSH:
Facial Nerve;
Mastoid;
Temporal Bone
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
2012;16(1):25-30
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To compare the enhancement pattern of normal facial nerves on 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-F) sequences at 3.0 T MR units. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed 20 consecutive subjects without a history of facial nerve abnormalities who underwent temporal bone MRI with contrast enhancement between January 2008 and March 2009. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed pre-/post-enhanced 3D-T1-FFE-FS and 3D-FLAIR images respectively with 2-week interval to assess the enhancement of normal facial nerves divided into five anatomical segments. The degree of enhancement in each segment was graded as none, mild or strong, and the results of 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-FS image sets were compared. RESULTS: On 3D-FLAIR images, one of the two reviewers observed mild enhancement of the genu segment in two (10%) subjects. On 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, at least one segment of the facial nerve was enhanced in 13 (65%) subjects. At least one reviewer found that 17 of the 100 segments showed enhancement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, with the mastoid segment being the most commonly enhanced. Interobserver agreement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images was good for enhancement of the normal facial nerve (kappa= 0.589). CONCLUSION: In contrast to 3D-T1-FFE-FS, normal facial nerve segments rarely showed enhancement on 3D-FLAIR images.
