title: Virtual endoscopic images by 3D FASE cisternography for neurovascular compression.
abstract: Three-dimensional fast asymmetric spin echo (3D FASE) cisternography provides high spatial resolution and excellent contrast as a water image acquisition technique. It is also useful for the evaluation of various anatomical regions. This study investigated the usefulness and limitations of virtual endoscopic images obtained by 3D FASE MR cisternography in the preoperative evaluation of patients with neurovascular compression. The study included 12 patients with neurovascular compression: 10 with hemifacial spasm and two with trigeminal neuralgia. The diagnosis was surgically confirmed in all patients. The virtual endoscopic images obtained were judged to be of acceptable quality for interpretation in all cases. The areas of compression identified in preoperative diagnosis with virtual endoscopic images showed good agreement with those observed from surgery, except in one case in which the common trunk of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA-PICA) bifurcated near the root exit zone of the facial nerve. The veins are displayed in some cases but not in others. The main advantage of generating virtual endoscopic images is that such images can be used for surgical simulation, allowing the neurosurgeon to perform surgical procedures with greater confidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kagawa Medical University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. ishimori@kms.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishimori
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kagawa
authors.forename: Koiku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoe
authors.forename: Tarou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Togami
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusuhara
authors.forename: Motoomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohkawa
authors.forename: Syeigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface