Clinical anatomy and imaging of the cranial nerves and skull base

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Evaluation of patients with cranial neuropathies requires an understanding of brainstem anatomy and nerve pathways. Advances in neuroimaging, particularly high spatial resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have enabled visualization of these tiny structures and their related pathology. This review provides an approach toward using imaging in the evaluation of cranial nerve (CN) and skull base anatomy and pathology. Because brainstem nuclei are inextricably linked to the information contained within CNs, they are briefly mentioned whenever relevant; however, a comprehensive discussion of brainstem syndromes is beyond the scope of this review.

Medical Subject Headings

Animals; Central Nervous System Diseases (diagnosis); Cranial Nerves (anatomy & histology, pathology); Humans; Neuroimaging (methods, trends); Skull Base (innervation, pathology)

Publication Date

9-1-2012

Publication Title

Seminars in neurology

E-ISSN

1098-9021

Volume

32

Issue

4

First Page

332

Last Page

46

PubMed ID

23361480

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1055/s-0032-1331807

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