User Ratings

Your rating: None
Your rating: None
Your rating: None
Add your comments

Cranial Nerves III to VI

Robert W. Evers1,  David M. Yousem1

1The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

Unit Number: 
Unit A7.2
DOI: 
10.1002/0471142719.mia0702s00
Online Posting Date: 
May, 2001
GO TO THE FULL TEXT:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library
Are you the author of this protocol? Login or register and return to this page.

Abstract

Cranial nerves III, IV, V, and VI are small structures that travel in a reproducible manner from the midbrain and pons to the cavernous sinus and then to the orbit. While there are branches that course through other foramina of the skull, the emphasis in MRI is to evaluate the brainstem, the cavernous sinus, and the pericavernous regions for pathology. This unit present a basic protocol for imaging cranial nerves III to VI. Because the nerves run from a posterior to an anterior position, coronal scanning is ideal for visualizing the nerves in cross-section. Thin sections and contrast enhancement are required to best visualize the diseases that affect these nerves. An alternate protocol is also discussed for the case when demyelinating etiologies for the cranial nerve deficits are considered.

     
 
GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Table of Contents

  • Unit Introduction
  • Basic Protocol 1: Imaging of Cranial Nerves III to VI
  • Alternate Protocol 1: Demyelinating Etiologies: Aneurysms
  • Commentary
  • Literature Cited
  • Tables
     
 
GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Materials

Basic Protocol 1: Imaging of Cranial Nerves III to VI

 Materials
  • Normal saline (0.9% NaCl), sterile
  • Gadolinium-based MR contrast agent (e.g., Magnevist, Omniscan, or Prohance)

NOTE: Be sure that technicians and nurses have immediate access to any emergency equipment that may be relevant to a given study, or that may be needed for a particular patient, such as crash carts or oxygen.

     
 
GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Literature Cited

Literature Cited
    Castillo, M. and Mukherji, S.K. 1996a. Magnetic resonance imaging of cranial nerves IX, X, XI, and XII. Top. Magn. Reson. Imaging 8:180-186.
    Castillo, M. and Mukherji, S.K. 1996b. MRI of enlarged dorsal ganglia, lumbar nerve roots, and cranial nerves in polyradiculoneuropathies. Neuroradiology 38:516-520.
    Chong, V.F. 1996. Trigeminal neuralgia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. J. Laryngol. Otol. 110:394-396.
    Hutchins, L.G., Harnsberger, H.R., Hardin, C.W., Dillon, W.P., Smoker, W.R., and Osborn, A.G. 1989. The radiologic assessment of trigeminal neuropathy. AJR Am. J. Roentgenol. 153:1275-1282.
    Shellock, F.G. 1996. Pocket Guide to MR Procedures and Metallic Objects. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia.
    Yousem, D.M., Atlas, S.A., Grossman, R.I., Sergott, R.C., Savino, P.I., and Bosley, T.C. 1989. MR of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. Am. J. Neuroradiol. 10:1181-1184.
    Yousem, D.M., Arrington, J.A., Kumar, A.J., Bryan, R.N. 1990a. Bright lesions on sellar/parasellar T1-weighted scans. Clin. Imaging 14:99-105.
    Yousem, D.M., Patrone, P.L., Grossman, R.I. 1990b. Leptomeningeal metastases: MR evaluation. J. Comput. Assist. Tomogr. 14:255-261.
     
 
GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library
Looking for Answers?
Do you have tips, tricks, or improvements to share?

Join the Conversation

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.