Ar terial Vascularisation of the Cranial Nerv es

Few pathologies may lead to specific involvement of the vascularization of the cranial nerves. Diabetes or viral infections may be the cause of vasculitis of these small vessels and subsequent nerve ischemia and deficit. This is described for example in Bell’s palsy where the viral involvement is responsible for a breakdown of the blood-nerve barrier resulting in gadolinium enhancement on MRI. 12 Some pathologic processes induce enlargement of dural arteries and subsequently of arteries to the cranial nerves without compromising their supply: these encompass highly vascularized and/or dural tumors (paragangliomas, juvenile angiofibromas, meningiomas) or dural arteriovenous shunts. The endovascular treatment of these pathologies requires a careful understanding of the regional anatomy and their vascular source as well as possible dangerous anastomoses between