Vascular Loop Syndrome

Vascular loop syndrome refers to the compression of a nerve root by a vascular loop and can most commonly affects the trigeminal and facial nerves.

In the case of the trigeminal nerve, patients may present with trigeminal neuralgia as the result of the contact. High-resolution, heavily T2-weighted images are used to reveal a serpiginous asymmetric vessel in the high cerebellopontine angle along the proximal preganglionic segment of the trigeminal nerve or at its root entry zone.

In the case of the facial nerve (shown above), patients present with involuntary hemifacial spasm. High-resolution, heavily T2-weighted images are used to reveal a serpiginous asymmetric vessel in the mid cerebellopontine angle along the proximal facial nerve or at its root entry zone.