Hypoglossal Nerve Lesions: The Role of a 3D IR-Prepped Fast SPGR High-Resolution 3T MRI Sequence

Abstract

Background and purpose: To assess a 3D high-resolution IR-prepped fast SPGR high-resolution MRI sequence for evaluating hypoglossal nerve lesions.

Methods: The clinical data of 8 patients with hypoglossal nerve lesions admitted from December 2011 to February 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. MRI included contrast-enhanced conventional sequences and a 3D IR-prepped fast SPGR high-resolution T1-weighted (BRAVO) MRI sequence at 3T.

Results: Eight patients had hypoglossal lesions detected by MRI. Conventional enhanced scanning could not clearly display the hypoglossal nerve and canal, while the enhanced 3D high-resolution sequence could. In addition, multiple planar reconstruction clearly displayed the hypoglossal nerve, hypoglossal canal, and lesions in multiple planes.

Conclusions: Compared with conventional MRI, we show superior results from an advanced sequence to improve image quality in characterizing hypoglossal nerve lesions.

Keywords: IR-prepped; Magnetic resonance imaging; hypoglossal nerve; spoiled gradient recalled; tumor.