ENT Updates
Clinical Research

Evaluation of the vascular contacts of the facial nerve on three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition MRI in Bell’s palsy

1.

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey

2.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

3.

Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey

ENT Updates 2017; 7: 87-93
DOI: 10.2399/jmu.2017002005
Read: 763 Downloads: 575 Published: 27 January 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the vascular contact patterns of the facial nerve (FN) on three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (3D-FIESTA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluate the correlation between these patterns, House-Brackmann (HB) grades and outcomes in Bell's palsy (BP).

Methods: Fifty-two patients with BP and 25 healthy controls were included in the study. Besides, a third group was formed by the asymptomatic sides of 52 patients. The vascular contact patterns of the FN on 3D-FIESTA MRI were classified with regard to the presence, number and anatomic location of the contact.

Results: A significant difference was found between the groups in terms of vascular contact patterns of the FN (p<0.001). Multiple vascular contacts were more prominent in the symptomatic sides of the patients. There was a positive statistical correlation between vascular contact patterns and HB grades at presentation and at the 3rd week and 3rd month follow-ups (r=0.335; p=0.015, r=0.587; p<0.001 and r=0.493; p<0.001).

Conclusion: Multiple vascular contacts of the FN on 3D-FIESTA MRI were found to be more common and associated with poor recovery in BP. Thus, 3D-FIESTA MRI may provide prognostic information in BP.

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