Meckel Cave: An Anatomical Study Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

To our knowledge, few studies have investigated anatomy of the Meckel cave with neuroimaging modalities. The present study aimed to characterize it using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Following conventional MRI examination, a total of 101 patients underwent T2-weighted imaging in thin-sliced coronal and sagittal sections, and 11 patients underwent constructive interference steady-state sequences in thin-sliced sagittal sections. Moreover, 3 injected cadaver heads were dissected.

In the cadaver specimens, the size and extent of the cerebrospinal fluid-filled space between the Gasserian ganglion and surrounding arachnoids were difficult to define. On the T2-weighted imaging, the Meckel cave was delineated with variable morphologies and left-right asymmetry. On the sagittal images, the shape of the Meckel cave could be classified into 3 different types, bulbous, oval, and flat, with the oval being the most frequent that comprised 60%. Furthermore, on the sagittal constructive interference steady-state images, parts of the trigeminal nerve distributed in the Meckel cave were delineated in all patients. The ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular divisions were clearly distinguished on both sides.

The Meckel cave is a structure characterized by diverse morphologies and left-right asymmetry. Thin-sliced T2-weighted imaging is useful for exploring the anatomy of the Meckel cave.