MRI findings of the normal and diseased trigeminal nerve ganglion and branches: a pictorial review.

The trigeminal nerve is the largest cranial nerve with both a sensory and motor function. MRI is an excellent technique to evaluate the trigeminal nerve. We report the MRI findings and illustrate the normal and diseased trigeminal nerve at Meckel's cave, the cavernous sinus, the skull base foramina, the pterygopalatine fossa and the peripheral branches.