Three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging in skull base lesions.

Three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a new digital technique developed 2 years ago by a multidisciplinary group of head and neck surgeons, clinical radiologists, and mathematicians at the University of Munich. In this study, the clinical value of this method, which has been improved significantly during the last 9 months, is evaluated in lesions of the skull base. Our results indicate that 3D reconstruction based on two-dimensional (2D) MR images reveals topographic details of interesting structures. In addition, this method offers new possibilities for the preoperative planning of tumor resection, particularly in lesions close to the skull base. However, this imaging technique will have to be improved before it achieves widespread clinical use.