CTA Head and Neck There is no relevant literature to support the use of CTA in the initial evaluation of oropharyngeal neurogenic dysphagia or oropharyngeal pain. FDG-PET/CT Skull Base to Mid-Thigh There is no relevant literature to support the use of FDG-PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh in the initial evaluation of oropharyngeal neurogenic dysphagia or oropharyngeal pain. MRA Head and Neck There is no relevant literature to support routine use of MRA head and neck to assess vasculature in the initial evaluation of glossopharyngeal palsy, although MRA focused on the posterior skull base can be complementary to thin-cut high-resolution skull base technique, contrast-enhanced MRI orbits, face, and neck, or MRI head in patients with glossopharyngeal nerve palsy. Contrast-enhanced MRA focused on the posterior skull provides detailed imaging of the lower CNs within the jugular foramen and their relationship to the hypoglossal nerve as they exit the skull base, with CN IX reportedly well imaged in 100% of cases using contrast-enhanced high-resolution MRA [24,149]. MRA can be complementary to thin-cut high-resolution MRI sequences to assess for neurovascular compression in patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia and has demonstrated agreement with surgically confirmed neurovascular compression in all patients in 2 small studies [143,149,150]. Cranial Neuropathy Thin-cut heavily T2-weighted contrast-enhanced modified balanced SSFP sequences and contrast-enhanced MRA focused on the posterior skull provide detailed imaging of the nerves within the jugular foramen and their relationship to the hypoglossal nerve as they exit the skull base, visualizing CN IX in 90% to 100% of imaged patients [24]. Various combinations of high-resolution 3-D T2-weighted imaging, MRA, and 3-D T1-weighted contrast-enhanced sequences can be used to assess for neurovascular compression [143,149-151] and have demonstrated agreement with surgical findings in all patients in two small studies [143,150].
Cranial Neuropathy. CTA Head and Neck There is no relevant literature to support the use of CTA in the initial evaluation of oropharyngeal neurogenic dysphagia or oropharyngeal pain. FDG-PET/CT Skull Base to Mid-Thigh There is no relevant literature to support the use of FDG-PET/CT skull base to mid-thigh in the initial evaluation of oropharyngeal neurogenic dysphagia or oropharyngeal pain. MRA Head and Neck There is no relevant literature to support routine use of MRA head and neck to assess vasculature in the initial evaluation of glossopharyngeal palsy, although MRA focused on the posterior skull base can be complementary to thin-cut high-resolution skull base technique, contrast-enhanced MRI orbits, face, and neck, or MRI head in patients with glossopharyngeal nerve palsy. Contrast-enhanced MRA focused on the posterior skull provides detailed imaging of the lower CNs within the jugular foramen and their relationship to the hypoglossal nerve as they exit the skull base, with CN IX reportedly well imaged in 100% of cases using contrast-enhanced high-resolution MRA [24,149]. MRA can be complementary to thin-cut high-resolution MRI sequences to assess for neurovascular compression in patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia and has demonstrated agreement with surgically confirmed neurovascular compression in all patients in 2 small studies [143,149,150]. Cranial Neuropathy Thin-cut heavily T2-weighted contrast-enhanced modified balanced SSFP sequences and contrast-enhanced MRA focused on the posterior skull provide detailed imaging of the nerves within the jugular foramen and their relationship to the hypoglossal nerve as they exit the skull base, visualizing CN IX in 90% to 100% of imaged patients [24]. Various combinations of high-resolution 3-D T2-weighted imaging, MRA, and 3-D T1-weighted contrast-enhanced sequences can be used to assess for neurovascular compression [143,149-151] and have demonstrated agreement with surgical findings in all patients in two small studies [143,150].