Congenital bifurcation of the intratemporal facial nerve.
Anomalies of the course of the facial nerve have been reported in association with middle and inner ear malformations. Bifurcation of its intratemporal portion is a rare malformation in which focal splitting of one or more facial nerve segments occurs. We describe the CT appearance of this anomaly and discuss its possible embryology. Facial nerve bifurcation is important to recognize in patients undergoing evaluation for congenital hearing loss and other congenital ear malformations.
Glastonbury
Christine M
CM
Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA.
Fischbein
Nancy J
NJ
Harnsberger
H Ric
HR
Dillon
William P
WP
Kertesz
Thomas R
TR
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed