Journal List > J Korean Soc Magn Reson Med > v.16(1) > 1011854

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Hyun, Lim, Park, Kim, Lee, Park, Ahn, Baek, Choi, and Lee: Enhancement Pattern of the Normal Facial Nerve on Three - Dimensional (3D) - Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) Sequence at 3.0 T MR Units
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Journal of the Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2012; 16(1): 25-30.

Published online: 30 April 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/jksmrm.2012.16.1.25

Enhancement Pattern of the Normal Facial Nerve on Three - Dimensional (3D) - Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) Sequence at 3.0 T MR Units

Dongho Hyun1, Hyun Kyung Lim1, Jee Won Park1, Jong Lim Kim1, Ha Young Lee1, Soonchan Park1, Joong Ho Ahn2, Jung Hwan Baek1, Choong Gon Choi1, Jeong Hyun Lee1

1Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Korea.

2Department of Otolaryngology (J.H.A.), University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Korea.

Corresponding author: Jeong Hyun Lee, M.D., Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-gil, Poongnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea. Tel. 82-2-3010-4352, Fax. 82-2-476-4719, jeonghlee@ hanmir.com

Received 7 November 2011       Revised 22 December 2011       Accepted 27 December 2011

Copyright © 2012 Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

To compare the enhancement pattern of normal facial nerves on 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-F) sequences at 3.0 T MR units.

Materials and Methods

We assessed 20 consecutive subjects without a history of facial nerve abnormalities who underwent temporal bone MRI with contrast enhancement between January 2008 and March 2009. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed pre-/post-enhanced 3D-T1-FFE-FS and 3D-FLAIR images respectively with 2-week interval to assess the enhancement of normal facial nerves divided into five anatomical segments. The degree of enhancement in each segment was graded as none, mild or strong, and the results of 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T1-FFE-FS image sets were compared.

Results

On 3D-FLAIR images, one of the two reviewers observed mild enhancement of the genu segment in two (10%) subjects. On 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, at least one segment of the facial nerve was enhanced in 13 (65%) subjects. At least one reviewer found that 17 of the 100 segments showed enhancement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images, with the mastoid segment being the most commonly enhanced. Interobserver agreement on 3D-T1-FFE-FS images was good for enhancement of the normal facial nerve (κ= 0.589).

Conclusion

In contrast to 3D-T1-FFE-FS, normal facial nerve segments rarely showed enhancement on 3D-FLAIR images.

Keywords: Temporal bone, Facial nerve, 3D-FLAIR, Enhancement

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