Morphologic Analysis of Normal Human Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglion by 3D MR Imaging
J. Shena,
H.-Y. Wangb,
J.-Y. Chena and
B.-L. Lianga
a Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, P.R.China
b Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Tumor Hospital, Jiangsu, P.R.China
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Fig 1. Determination of DRG position. The position of the DRG was determined on the original coronal FFE images. A and B are the lines respectively connecting the medial and lateral borders of the pedicles. If the midpoint of the DRG lies proximal to A, it is an intraspinal type; between A and B, a foraminal type; and distal to B, an extraforaminal type. In this 28-year-old volunteer, the L4 DRGs are the foraminal type (arrowheads). P indicates the L4 vertebral pedicles.
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Fig 2. Lumbar DRGs on coronal MIP imaging. The reconstructed MIP image clearly depicts the DRGs of the spinal nerve bilaterally from L1 to L5, which demonstrates intermediate signal intensity (arrowheads indicate DRGs from L4 to L1; arrows indicate L5 DRGs).
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Fig 3. Architecture of DRGs. The singular right L5 DRG (arrow) and the biganglia right L4 DRG (arrowheads) are clearly demonstrated on the MIP image with an angle of 24° rotated to the right. The dimension of the DRGs on this plane is maximal, and the interference of adjacent vessels could be removed. Whether in biganglia or singular ganglion, a high intensity rim could be noted.
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Fig 4. Triganglia architecture of L5. The right L5 DRG, with a composition of 3 separate ganglia, is defined as the triganglia.
A, The original FFE coronal image distinctly demonstrates the triganglia architecture of the right L5 DRG (arrowheads).
B, The MIP coronal image also clearly shows the triganglia architecture of the right L5 DRG (arrowheads). At same time, the biganglia architecture could be found in the L4 DRGs bilaterally (arrows).
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Fig 5. Lumbar DRGs on serial coronal MIP images. All 5 pairs of DRGs of the spinal nerves from L1 to L5 (arrowheads) are well displayed on serial views. Although some segmental and radicular vessels surrounding the DRGs are also displayed, the DRGs could be distinguished from these vessels by the rotation of the serial images with different angulations.
A, Left antero-oblique view.
B, Frontal view.
C, Right antero-oblique view.
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