title: Trigeminal nerve: MRI anatomy and case presentation of trigeminal neuralgia due to arterial compression.
abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also known as tic douloureux is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder characterized by sporadic episodes of extreme, sudden burning or shock-like face pain that last from a few seconds to 2 minutes. Trigeminal neuralgia has a reported incidence of 5.9/100,000 women and 3.4/100,000 men in USA. The exact pathophysiology is still unclear, but demyelization leading to abnormal discharge in fibers of the trigeminal nerve is a probable cause. In the majority of cases, no structural lesion is detected but in almost 15% of patients medical imaging methods like MRI, CT or angiography can identify a vein or artery that compresses the nerve which results in focal demyelization. The authors present a case of trigeminal neuralgia investigated by MRI, which identified a vascular compression of the nerve 9 mm after emerging the pons by the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) and one of its branches. The authors also realize a review of the MRI anatomy of the trigeminal nerve.
authors.affiliation: Morphofunctional Department, Grigore T Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iassy, Romania. dr_anca_sava@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sava
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furnică
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petreuş
authors.forename: Raluca Ozana
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Chistol
authors.forename: A G M
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Motoc
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology