[Computerized tomographic demonstration of the nerves and blood vessels of the cerebellopontile angle. Results of pneumocisternomeatography in comparison with intraoperative findings].

Disorders of the 8th cranial nerve such as sensori-neural hearing loss, tinnitus or vertigo may be of vascular origin. Pulsation of arteries can cause compression of, or traction on the nerve, and surgical "decompression" using a modified transtemporal approach may be helpful for these cases. The investigations are based on modern computerized tomography techniques combined with air-cisterno-meatography. The nerves can be demonstrated routinely, while the imaging of vessels is not always possible. This different appearance of arteries may be caused by their pulsatile motion, as shown by phantom studies. The effect of this motion is discussed on the basis of a comparison between preoperative CT-findings and the topography of the vessels verified at operation.