title: Large-diameter compression arteries as a possible facilitating factor for trigeminal neuralgia: analysis of axial and radial diffusivity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve is associated with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Some arteries that compress the trigeminal nerve are large, while others are small. This study evaluated the influence of diameter of compression arteries (DCA) on NVC with and without TN using axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty TN patients with unilateral NVC, 50 asymptomatic patients with unilateral NVC, and 50 healthy controls (HC) were divided into three groups (NVC with TN, NVC without TN, and HC). The three groups were imaged with a 3.0-T MR system using three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (3D FIESTA) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We compared the mean size of DCA between NVC with and without TN. The mean values of AD and RD at the site of NVC were compared between the three groups. Correlation analyses were performed between the DCA and the diffusion metrics (AD and RD) in NVC patients with and without TN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean DCA in NVC patients with TN (1.58 ± 0.34 mm) was larger than that without TN (0.89 ± 0.29 mm). Compared with NVC without TN and HC, the mean values of RD at the site of NVC with TN were significantly increased; however, no significant changes of AD were found between the groups. Correlation analysis showed that DCA positively correlated with RD in NVC patients with and without TN (r = 0.830, p = 0.000). No significant correlation was found between DCA and AD (r = 0.178, p = 0.077).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger-diameter compression arteries may increase the chances of TN, and may be a possible facilitating factor for TN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, China. linwei7012@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Operating Room, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wan-ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
authors.forename: Guo-can
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
authors.forename: Yu-rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
authors.forename: Qiao-wei
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Axial diffusivity; Demyelination; Neurovascular compression; Radial diffusivity; Trigeminal neuralgia