Topographic and anatomical features of cranial bones in patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia

Objective. To study the topographic and anatomical features of cranial bones, craniocervical region and upper cerebellar arteries in patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia (CTN) using 3D CT angiography. Material and methods. The study was conducted at the Rostov State Medical University between January and November 2024. There were 32 patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia aged 56—77 years (experimental group), as well as 15 people without pain syndrome (control group). Diagnostic measures included collection of complaints, anamnesis, neurological examination, neuroimaging (MRI), 3D CT angiography. Differences were significant at p<0.05. Results. Craniocervical features in patients with CTN include predominant higher location of the right apex of petrous temporal bone (71.8%), coinciding sides of pain paroxysms and superior petrous temporal bone (28.2%) (p=0.001), pattern A of skull base bone arrangement (65.6%) (p=0.001): ventrocaudolateral slope of superior petrous temporal bone and dorsorostromedial slope of contralateral bone, lateralization of central point of sella turcica towards the underlying petrous temporal bone, asymmetric arrangement of major sphenoid wings with more dorsal and caudal position on the side of the underlying petrous temporal bone, lateral rotation of the occipital bone, changed ratio of the occipital bone, C1, C2 (28.1%). Conclusion. Further research is needed to improve prediction and therapy of classical trigeminal neuralgia.