Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: MRI Report
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area: Neuralgia
Posted by CCF Neurosurgery MD/gm on May 22, 1998 at 00:46:21:
In Reply to: MRI Report posted by Susan on May 21, 1998 at 14:58:00:



I was diagnosed with TN several years ago. Could you please explain to me in terms that I can understand the results of the MRI:

FINDINGS: Flow voids demonstrated in the vertebrobasilar and internal carotid arteries. Basilar artery is to the right of midline on image E5 very close to right trig. nerve root exit zone. Don't think there is contact. Brainstem signal characteristics normal, Cerebral hemispheres normal...no staining of either trig nerve and no evidence of mass in cerebellopontine angle.

CONCLUSION: Basilar artery swings to right of the pons near the right trig nerve near exit zone.

Thanks for your help.

Dear Susan:

All this means is that they detect blood flow in the basilar artery (this
is located in the back of the brain). The artery swings to the right side
close to where the trigeminal nerve comes out of the brainstem.
The radiologist is not quite sure that the basilar artery touches the
nerve root but he does not seem to think that there is contact.

I hope this helps!


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