Magnetic resonance imaging of facial nerve and its clinical application

As the facial nerve has a small diameter and complex course, complete tracking is very difficult. With high resolution, magnetic resonance imaging plays an important role in evaluating the facial nerve and its lesions. The development and application of new magnetic resonance sequences have improved the demonstration facial nerve. Facial nerve dysfunction paralyzes facial muscles, and therefore seriously affects patient's quality of life and appearance. Magnetic resonance imaging of facial nerve may help in determining the cause of facial paralysis and showing the relationship between lesions and facial nerve, and it has great clinical values in preoperative assessment and intra-operative protection of facial nerve. In this paper, magnetic resonance imaging approaches of facial nerve and their clinical application were reviewed. (authors)