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. 2018 Oct;39(10):1903-1906.
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A5754. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

MR Imaging of the Facial Nerve through the Temporal Bone at 3T with a Noncontrast Ultrashort Echo Time Sequence

J P Guenette  1 , R T Seethamraju  2 , J Jayender  3 , C E Corrales  4 , T C Lee  3
Affiliations

MR Imaging of the Facial Nerve through the Temporal Bone at 3T with a Noncontrast Ultrashort Echo Time Sequence

J P Guenette et al. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

The pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (PETRA) ultrashort echo time MR imaging sequence at 3T enables visualization of the facial nerve from the brain stem, through the temporal bone, to the stylomastoid foramen without intravenous contrast. Use of the PETRA sequence, or other ultrashort echo time sequences, should be considered in the MR imaging evaluation of certain skull base tumors and perhaps other facial nerve and temporal bone pathologies.

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Figures

FIGURE.
FIGURE.
Normal right facial nerve in a 27-year-old healthy female volunteer. Axial oblique (A and B) and sagittal oblique (C) noncontrast MR images obtained with the 4-minute PETRA protocol show the cisternal, canalicular, labyrinthine, geniculate, tympanic, and mastoid segments of the right facial nerve (white arrows) and a portion of an ossicle (black arrow). D, Sagittal oblique image obtained with the default PETRA protocol shows a slightly sharper but similar appearance to C.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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