Preliminary Diagnosis: Trigeminal neuralgia
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis
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Contrast MR of the brain according to trigeminal protocol with thin axial cuts
II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia.
Advantages
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Able to exquisitely detail the trigeminal nerves from the root entry zone distally through the face to look for any soft tissue or vascular pathology or any abnormal enhancement.
Disadvantages
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Expensive
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Time-consuming
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Requires significant patient cooperation as the images are subject to motion artifact
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May be limited in patients with non-MR compatible metallic hardware.
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
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MR imaging is contraindicated in patients with non-MR compatible hardware.
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
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No alternative imaging techniques exist
V. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative techniques for diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia.
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Not applicable
VI. What are the contraindications for the alternative imaging techniques?
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Not applicable
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