Abstract
We investigated to determine the utility of enhanced MRI as a prognostic examination for peripheral facial nerve palsy retrospectively. Fifty-five patients with that disease were classified into two groups. Group A was found with positive enhanced effect along facial nerve (n=35); group B was not found with that effect (n=20). The clinical course of patients was compared between the groups, and relevance between rates of complete healing and concomitant symptoms (pain, eruption of herpes zoster, taste disturbance, hyperacusis, secretory disturbance of tear, and enhanced effect of MRI) were researched. The frequencies of hospitalization and cervical sympathetic nerve block were more in group A. The lowest facial palsy score and the value of an electroneurography within 1 week after the onset were higher in group B. The rate of complete cure was 71.4% in group A; in group B it was 100%. Only those found with enhanced MRI were correlated with a rate of complete cure. We concluded that enhanced MRI is useful for prognostic evaluation of peripheral facial nerve palsy.
