Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
In Vivo Morphometric Analysis of Human Cranial Nerves Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Menière's Disease Ears and Normal Hearing Ears
Published on: February 21, 2018
Localization of the mandibular neurovascular bundle using dental magnetic resonance imaging
C Nasel1, A Gahleitner, M Breitenseher
1Department of Radiology, University of Vienna, Währingergürtel, Austria.
Objective:
To assess the reliability of a commercially available 3D-MPR MRI program for the jaws for imaging the mandibular neurovascular bundle.
Methods:
A gradient echo sequence (TR: 49 ms/TE: 6.3 ms/flip angle: 25 degrees/excitations: 3) with a spectral fat suppression pre-impulse and a voxel size of 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.8 mm was designed. Cross-sectional and panoramic reconstruction of the whole mandible were performed from the axial scans using Easy Vision (Philips, Best, The Netherlands) software package. The ability of differentiate the mandibular neurovascular bundle was assessed in 11 patients.
Results:
The mandibular neurovascular bundle was clearly visualized in all cases.
Conclusion:
Dental MRI is a possible alternative to plain films or CT for patients requiring surgery near the mandibular canal.
