Assessment of prevalence of vascular contact of the facial nerve in asymptomatic patients using three-dimensional constructive interference in steady-state (3D CISS) MRI acquisition.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of vascular contact of the facial nerve in patients without hemifacial spasm or facial palsy using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Material And Methods: Our radiology database was accessed to find a series of consecutive adult patients who underwent MRI of the brain during the study period, excluding those with a history of hemifacial spasm (HFS), facial palsy, traumatic brain injury, intracranial tumour, intracranial surgery, trigeminal neuro-vascular compression, brain radiation therapy, and studies with poor image quality. A total of 112 (224 sides) MRIs of the posterior fossa were independently reviewed by 2 radiologists for neurovascular contact involving the facial nerve.

Prevalence of Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Vascular Loop in Cerebellopontine Angle With Three-Dimensional Constructive Interference in Steady State (CISS) Sequence MRI.

Background The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) cistern houses vital neurovascular structures such as cranial nerves V, VII, and VIII and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA), often leading to neurovascular compression syndromes due to its complex anatomy. Although vascular compression is a recognized cause of certain neuralgias, its association with otologic symptoms such as tinnitus, hearing loss, and dizziness remains uncertain. Hence, this study aims to determine the prevalence of the AICA vascular loop in the CPA cistern on MRI in patients with asymptomatic audiovestibular symptoms.