gms | German Medical Science

55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

25. bis 28.04.2004, Köln

Article

Send article

MR volumetry of the pontomesencephalic cistern in patients with unilateral facial pain and in volunteers

MR-Volumetrie der pontomesenzephalen Zisterne bei Patienten mit einseitigem Gesichtsschmerz und Probanden

Meeting Abstract

Search Medline for

  • corresponding author Bodo Kress - Abteilung Neuroradiologie, Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg
  • D. Rasche - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg
  • V. Tronnier - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg
  • K. Sartor - Abteilung Neuroradiologie, Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg
  • C. Stippich - Abteilung Neuroradiologie, Neurologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Ungarische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Köln, 25.-28.04.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. DocP 09.100

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2004/04dgnc0383.shtml

Published: April 23, 2004

© 2004 Kress et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess whether the volume of the pontomesencephalic cistern in patients with unilateral facial pain is smaller on the affected side than on the healthy side and whether there is any difference in healthy volunteers.

Methods

In a prospective study, 40 patients (25: unilateral trigeminal neuralgia; 4: bilateral trigeminal neuralgia; 11: trigeminal neuropathy) and 17 volunteers underwent MR (1.5T, T2 TrueFisp 0.9 mm, coronal orientation). The volume of the surrounding cistern was measured along the course of the trigeminal nerve from its beginning at the pons to Meckel´s cave and compared side by side according to the region of interest. The difference was also compared between patients and volunteers (t-test, p<0,05).

Results

In all patients with unilateral trigeminal neuralgia, the volume of the cistern was smaller on the affected side than on the healthy side. The difference between the healthy and affected side in patients with unilateral neuralgia was 13.1% (0-36,3%), in patients with bilateral neuralgia 0% (0-7%), in patients with neuropathy 5.6% (5,6-29,9%) and in volunteers 8.7% (0-29.1%). The difference between patients with unilateral neuralgia and volunteers and between patients with unilateral and bilateral neuralgia was significant (p<0.05).

Conclusions

In patients with unilateral trigeminal neuralgia, the pontomesencephalic cistern is smaller on the affected side than on the healthy side. Because adjacent nerves and vessels can trigger trigeminal neuralgia, it should be discussed whether such a relationship is caused by the smaller volume of the pontomesencephalic cistern on the affected side.