Title:MRI Study on the Relationship Between Nerve and Blood Vessel in Unilateral
Angiogenic Trigeminal Neuralgia
Volume: 19
Author(s): Xinglu Miao, Mingsheng Yu and Zengguang Wang*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
Keywords:
Trigeminal neuralgia, vascular nerve compression, magnetic resonance imaging, blood vessel, cranial nerve disease, trigeminal nerve.
Abstract:
Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a common cranial nerve disease.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between the trigeminal nerve and the responsible blood vessel
in patients with unilateral vascular trigeminal neuralgia (VTN).
Methods: Thirty patients with unilateral VTN were confirmed by microvascular decompression.
Results: Among the 30 patients, the responsible blood vessels were present in 30 cases on the affected
side and 17 cases on the uninfected side (1). The location of the intersection of the trigeminal nerve
and the responsible blood vessel: the affected side is located 2/5 behind the trigeminal nerve cisternal
segment; the healthy side is located 3/5 anterior to the cisternal segment (2). Symptomatic vessels were
located within the cistern between the origin and 2/5ths of the cistern length, and non-symptomatic
vessels were located beyond the 2/5ths location (3). Direction of intersection: on the affected side, the
responsible vessel was located inside and above the trigeminal nerve in 27 cases, (27/30, 90%), and
outside and below the trigeminal nerve in 3 cases (3/30, 10%). On the unaffected side, the responsible
vessel was located inside and above the nerve in 16 cases (16/17, 94%) and outside and below the
nerve in 1 case (1/17, 5.8%) (4). Intersection form: 3 cases (3/30, 10%) on the affected side, the responsible
blood vessel contacted the trigeminal nerve, in 26 cases (26/30, 86%) the responsible blood
vessel compressed the trigeminal nerve, and in 1 case (1/30, 5%) the responsible blood vessel caused
the trigeminal nerve to be twisted; 8 cases (8/17, 47%) of the contralateral side contacted the trigeminal
nerve with the responsible blood vessel, and in 9 cases (9/17, 53%) the responsible blood vessel compressed
the trigeminal nerve.
Conclusion: Patients with unilateral VTN have differences in the location and form of the intersection
of the trigeminal nerve and the responsible vessel on the affected side and the contralateral side.
