PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Voyvodic, F
AU  - Whyte, A
AU  - Slavotinek, J
TI  - The hypoglossal canal: normal MR enhancement pattern.
DP  - 1995 Sep 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1707--1710
VI  - 16
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/16/8/1707.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/16/8/1707.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1995 Sep 01; 16
AB  - PURPOSE To review the anatomy of the hypoglossal canal and present the normal precontrast and postcontrast MR appearance of axial posterior fossa images. METHODS Thirty-one axial MR examinations of the normal posterior fossa were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS The hypoglossal canals are well seen on 3-mm-thick axial MR images of the posterior fossa (28 [90%] of 31 patients). Symmetric intense intracanalicular enhancement after intravenous administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine is routine, typically with minor anterior extension into the nasopharyngeal region (28 [100%] of 28). A linear filling defect traversing the enhanced canal often is seen (21 [75%] of 28) and may represent hypoglossal nerve rootlets. Circumferential enhancement of the meninges at the level of the foramen magnum was a common finding (19 [64%] of 28). CONCLUSION Enhancement within the hypoglossal canal with anterior extension beneath the skull base is a normal finding. This pattern is characteristic enough on MR imaging to aid interpretation of skull base lesions and to exclude the possibility of a mass within the hypoglossal canal.