Wenjun Wu1, Feihong Wu1, Dingxi Liu2, Chuansheng Zheng1, Xiangquan Kong1, Shenglei Shu1, Dan Li1, Xiangchuang Kong1, Lixia Wang3. 1. Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China. 2. Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China. Electronic address: liudingxi2008@163.com. 3. Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China. Electronic address: lisa2003627@163.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and advantages of high-resolution high-contrast magnetic resonance neurography (HRHC-MRN) for visualizing the morphology and pathology of the peripheral branches of cranial nerves. MATERIALS: cMRN (3D SPACE STIR sequence) and HRHC-MRN (contrast enhanced 3D SPACE STIR sequence) were performed at 3 T MR unit on 16 volunteers and 12 patients with head and neck tumors. Quantitative measurements such as SNR, CNR and CR were calculated. Three readers evaluated the continuity of the 10 major peripheral branches of cranial nerves using a 5-score scale (scores 0-4). Interobserver variability was tested. Quantitative measurements and scores were compared between cMRN and HRHC-MRN. The imaging features of the nerve pathology were analyzed. RESULTS: The CRs of nerve to bone marrow, nerve to muscle, and nerve to gland were significantly higher with HRHC-MRN than with cMRN (P = 0.014, P = 0.02, P <0.001, respectively). The scores of all nerve trunks were significantly higher with HRHC-MRN than with cMRN (all, P < 0.001). For all nerves on HRHC-MRN, the interobserver consistency was excellent across the three readers (all κ > 0.8). The scores of the inferior alveolar nerve, hypoglossal nerve, lingual nerve, facial nerve, infraorbital nerve, masseteric nerve, glossopharyngeal/vagus nerve, supraorbital nerve, auriculotemporal nerve and buccal nerve were 3.95, 3.77, 3.63, 3.25, 3.15, 3.04, 3.04, 2.87, 2.79, 1.88, respectively. CONCLUSION: HRHC-MRN provides improved visualization of the peripheral branches of cranial nerves and is a promising nerve-selective imaging method for evaluating cranial nerve morphology and pathology.
PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and advantages of high-resolution high-contrast magnetic resonance neurography (HRHC-MRN) for visualizing the morphology and pathology of the peripheral branches of cranial nerves. MATERIALS: cMRN (3D SPACE STIR sequence) and HRHC-MRN (contrast enhanced 3D SPACE STIR sequence) were performed at 3 T MR unit on 16 volunteers and 12 patients with head and neck tumors. Quantitative measurements such as SNR, CNR and CR were calculated. Three readers evaluated the continuity of the 10 major peripheral branches of cranial nerves using a 5-score scale (scores 0-4). Interobserver variability was tested. Quantitative measurements and scores were compared between cMRN and HRHC-MRN. The imaging features of the nerve pathology were analyzed. RESULTS: The CRs of nerve to bone marrow, nerve to muscle, and nerve to gland were significantly higher with HRHC-MRN than with cMRN (P = 0.014, P = 0.02, P <0.001, respectively). The scores of all nerve trunks were significantly higher with HRHC-MRN than with cMRN (all, P < 0.001). For all nerves on HRHC-MRN, the interobserver consistency was excellent across the three readers (all κ > 0.8). The scores of the inferior alveolar nerve, hypoglossal nerve, lingual nerve, facial nerve, infraorbital nerve, masseteric nerve, glossopharyngeal/vagus nerve, supraorbital nerve, auriculotemporal nerve and buccal nerve were 3.95, 3.77, 3.63, 3.25, 3.15, 3.04, 3.04, 2.87, 2.79, 1.88, respectively. CONCLUSION: HRHC-MRN provides improved visualization of the peripheral branches of cranial nerves and is a promising nerve-selective imaging method for evaluating cranial nerve morphology and pathology.
Authors: Adib Al-Haj Husain; Daphne Schönegg; Silvio Valdec; Bernd Stadlinger; Thomas Gander; Harald Essig; Marco Piccirelli; Sebastian Winklhofer Journal: J Imaging Date: 2022-03-17