To date, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) represents the gold standard in the radiological diagnostics of the brain stem and the cranial nerves. In particular, the high-resolution steady-state sequences are used to image the cisternal and the cavernous segments of the cranial nerves. In contrast, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the method of choice to evaluate the bony structures of the petrous bone. This review illustrates the feasibilities and new developments in the diagnostic imaging of these complex brain structures, with focus on MRI.