Abducens nerve palsy secondary to Dorello’s canal meningioma: MRI anatomical considerations

Abstract

Palsy of the extra ocular muscles can result from several diseases affecting cranial nerves at various levels from the cerebral cortex to the neuromuscular junction. These levels must be studied exhaustively to define the exact etiology to determine appropriate management. The motor function of the human eye is produced by cranial nerves III, IV and VI, which coordinate bilateral globe movements to focus attention in an object within the visual field, allowing for images perceived in the retina and transmitted by the optic nerves to be integrated in the cerebral visual cortex. In this article, we will focus on Abducens nerve palsy exemplified by the case of a 50 year old woman with left diplopia as the only presenting symptom, found to have a meningioma in Dorello’s canal. We will emphasize the anatomic correlation of the sixth cranial nerve, from its origins up to the lateral rectus muscle, its physiology and the type of injuries affecting it, especially meningiomas and their features in diagnostic imaging.