Abstract: Objective The abnormalities of cranial nerves in the cistern were displayed by MRI to explore their relationship with strabismus. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Fifty-five patients with strabismus. Methods Fifty-five patients were performed MRI examination, using three dimensional fast imaging employing steady state acquisition (FIESTA) sequence. Cranial nerves in the cistern were observed in oblique-axial and oblique-sagittal planes acquired by MRI. Main Outcome Measures The developmental conditions of the cranial nerves in the cistern. Results All the abnormal cranial nerves in the cistern in 55 cases on MRI were displayed as follow.  In 21 cases of congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles (CFEOM), 2 oculomotor nerves (CN3)  were absent and 38 were thinner. In 16 cases of Duane syndrome (DS), 15 cases of CFEOM and 3 cases of Mobius syndrome, 41 abducens nerve were absent, 19 were thinner, 2 were chords-like signs, 1 was starting from the middle part of the brainstem, and 1 was substituted by an irregular chords-like signs. Other cranial nerves in the cisterns could not be traced including 6 facial nerves, 6 audible nerves and 3 hypoglosssal nerves in 3  cases of Mobius syndrome (MS) and 6 cases of DS. Conclusion MRI can clearly demonstrate abnormality of cranial nerves in the cistern, which can be used for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of neurogenic strabismus. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2013, 22: 299-303)

Key words: cranial nerve, strabismus, magnetic resonance imaging