METHODS: This study included 25 patients with TN followed up for pain in the Department of Algology, Faculty of Medicine, and 25 age- and gender-matched controls. We performed morphometric measurements including the length and volume of the trigeminal nerve, cerebellopontine cistern, pons, and posterior fossa in the MRIs of these individuals. Comparative analyses were performed for the mean of the affected and unaffected sides of the TN patients and the right, left, and both sides of the control group.
RESULTS: In patients with TN, on the affected side, length and volume of the trigeminal nerve and cerebellopontine cistern volume were found smaller than controls (p < 0.05). Pons volume was higher in patients with TN compared to controls (p < 0.05). The length of the affected nerve was significantly related to prepontine cistern length and cerebellopontine cistern volume (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The cerebellopontine cistern volume has a significant impact on the morphometric characteristics of the trigeminal nerve. Especially, whether the increase in the volume of pons causes a decrease in the volume of cerebellopontine cistern should be clarified with further research.
方法:本研究纳入了25例因疼痛而随访的TN患者,医学院,和25个年龄和性别匹配的对照。我们进行了形态测量,包括三叉神经的长度和体积,小脑桥脑池,pons,和这些个体的磁共振成像后颅窝。对TN患者患侧和未患侧的平均值进行了比较分析,左,和对照组的两侧。
结果:在TN患者中,在受影响的一侧,三叉神经的长度和体积以及桥小脑池体积均小于对照组(p<0.05)。与对照组相比,TN患者的脑桥体积更高(p<0.05)。受影响神经的长度与脑桥前池长度和小脑池体积显着相关(p<0.05)。
结论:桥小脑池体积对三叉神经的形态特征有显著影响。尤其是,脑桥体积的增加是否会导致脑桥小脑池体积的减少,应进一步研究。