Diagnostic value of 3D-TOF-MRA combined multiplanar reformation in preoperative evaluation of vascular compression trigeminal neuralgia

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) combined with multiplanar reconstruction in the preoperative evaluation of vascular compression trigeminal neuralgia. Methods 194 patients with vascular compression trigeminal neuralgia admitted in our hospital from February 2015 to December 2016 were treated with trigeminal micro vessel compression surgery (MVD). All the patients were given 3D-TOF-MRA examination combined with multiplanar reconstruction, compared the examination results and the test results of neurovascular compression (NVC) during MVD resection, and analyzed the consistency of 3D-TOF-MRA preoperative display results of trigeminal nerve vascular properties and during MVD. Results There were no statistically significant difference between preoperative neurovascular compression test results of 3D-TOF-MRA combined with multiplanar reconstruction and MVD operation results (P>0.05); preoperative 3D-TOF-MRA showed consistent determination results of trigeminal nerve responsible vascular properties with MVD surgery (K=0.93). Conclusions 3D-TOF-MRA combined with multiplanar reconstruction can clearly show the relationship between trigeminal nerve and blood vessel, accurately assess the nature of offending vessels and neurovascular compression features of patients with vascular compression trigeminal neuralgia, which can provide a reliable basis for the clinical development of MVD operation plan. Key words: Three dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography; Multiplanar reconstruction; Trigeminal neuralgia