Article Figures & Data
Figures
- FIG 1.
Patient 10 with right anomaly. Axial T2-weighted images of pontine CNs. A, normal left CN5. B, The right trigeminal nerve (arrow) is small compared with the left. It is bowed laterally and has a more caudal root entry zone. C, Just inferior to CN 5, a prominent right CN7 (white arrow) exits the brainstem at the same level as CN6 (black arrow). D, There is merging of the Meckel cave with the IAC porus acusticus (arrow), and the aberrant nerve fans out toward both compartments. E, Normal patient for comparison. Axial image of CN7 and CN8 in cerebellopontine angle cisterns.
- FIG 2.
Two different patients with a dysplastic fanned appearance of an aberrant CN7 as it approaches the Meckel cave and IAC (arrows). A, On the left in patient 3. B, Bilateral in patient 9.
- FIG 3.
Patient 7 with bilateral findings. A, Coronal T2-weighted image. The cisternal trigeminal nerve (white arrows) is small compared with CN7 (black arrows). These nerves are abnormally close to each other on left. B, Axial T2-weighted images. There was a deficiency of CN6 on right (normal on left, arrow). C. This patient also has a narrow IAC on both sides, more pronounced on the left (arrows).
- FIG 4.
Patient 4. Axial temporal bone CT of the right ear. The aberrant facial nerve canal courses through the petrous bone anterior to IAC to join an anteriorly displaced labyrinthine portion (arrows). There was no medial extension to the cerebellopontine angle cistern distinguishing it from a duplicated IAC. The tympanic and mastoid segments had a normal course (not shown).
Tables
- Table 1:
Demographic and clinical findings in children with anomalous pontine cranial nerves
Clinical Finding Age (mean) (range) 4 years; 3 weeks to 17 years Sex (M/F ratio) 1:16 SNHL 16/17 (94%) CN6 palsy 2/17 (12%) CN7 palsy Ipsilateral to aberrant CN7 2/23 ears (9%) Contralateral to aberrant CN7 1/23 ears (4%) Oculo Auriculo Vertebral Spectrum 2/17 (12%) Finding Aberrant cisternal CN7 17 patients Unilateral 11 patients (65%) Bilateral 6 patients (35%) Small CN5 ipsilateral to the aberrant CN7 23/23 ears CN6 deficiency 7/17 (41%) Contralateral CN7 deficiency 1/17 (5%) Cochlear nerve deficiency 16/17 (94%) Narrow IAC 10/17 (59%)
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