Magnetic resonance imaging of cranial nerve VII

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well suited for the evaluation of lesions of the seventh cranial (facial) nerve. The preferred MRI approach requires use of multiplanar thin sections of the full course of the nerve from the pons through to its terminal branches on the face. The use of paramagnetic contrast greatly increases the sensitivity of MRI and for the most part precludes the need to use computed tomography scans in conjunction with the MRI scans.