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Purpose: Neuroimaging findings in Duane's retraction syndrome (DRS), through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), suggest that aplasia of the abducens nerve (VI) can be responsible for several forms of DRS., Methods: Brain MRI was performed in two children of 2.5 and 7 years of age with left sided DRS type II and right sided DRS type I, respectively. 3D T2 weighted images through the brainstem were acquired in order to visualize the cranial nerves especially the abducens (VI) and oculomotor (III) nerves., Results: The abducens nerve on the affected side could not be observed in these two different types of DRS with normal morphology of the third nerves., Conclusion: Absence of the VI nerve has been described recently in DRS types I and III only, while DRS type II is usually associated with normal VI nerve on MRI. However our results show that aplasia of the VI nerve can also be seen in DRS type II resulting in new insight of the pathogenesis of this clinical entity.

The widespread use of abdominal aortic grafting procedures and increasing awareness of related complications suggests the need for a reliable and non-invasive diagnostic technique which will allow early detection of both occlusive and non-occlusive complications. Ultrasound is generally used with satisfactory results, but has several limitations, whereas MRI has shown great promise in the study of cardiovascular disease, being non-invasive, multiplanar and multiparametric. The present research aims to evaluate MRI in the follow-up of abdominal aortic grafts, attempting to define its significance as a screening procedure in non-selected patients. MRI is reliable in ascertaining the normality of the graft as well as the complications, these being partial or total thrombosis, pseudoaneurysms and perigraft collections. The data obtained are highly satisfactory and are almost always superior to those achieved with ultrasound and CT.