Structural abnormalities of trigeminal root with neurovascular compression revealed by high resolution diffusion...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Radiology
• Neurology

Background:

• Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is often caused by neurovascular compression of the trigeminal nerve (TGN).
• Accurate detection of structural abnormalities in TGN is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To utilize diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for detecting structural abnormalities in trigeminal nerves (TGN) caused by neurovascular compression.
• To evaluate the diagnostic value of DTI in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and 3D high-resolution MRI were performed on 20 TN patients and 10 controls.
• Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured for ipsilateral TGN (iTGN), contralateral TGN (cTGN), and normal TGN (nTGN).

Main Results:

• Affected iTGN showed significantly lower FA and smaller volume/cross-sectional area compared to cTGN and nTGN.
• Affected iTGN exhibited a significantly higher ADC compared to cTGN and nTGN.
• These findings indicate significant structural and diffusion changes in compressed TGN.

Conclusions:

• Increased ADC and decreased FA are closely related to the morphological changes of TGN in TN patients.
• DTI provides valuable diagnostic information regarding TGN structure in the context of TN.
• DTI can effectively detect neurovascular compression-induced abnormalities in TGN.