Purpose
Though we have achieved a tremendous improvement in our knowledge of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) creation,
circulation,
and absorption during the last decades,
there is still a waste inanity in our understanding of the CSF basic physiology and pathology1.
The fact that some uncertainties regarding the CSF circulation are still present is enhancing the certainty that our understanding of pathological deviations and/or variations from normal CSF flow pathways may still be confined by our insufficient understanding of the fundamental physical and physiological postulates of this...
Methods and Materials
The study included one hundred patients (59 males and 41 females,
age range 29 to 74 years),
divided into the experimental group consisted of 52 patients with CH,
and the control group consisted of 48 age-matching healthy volunteers without the hydrodynamic disorder (WHD).
In all patients we performed brain MRI on 1.5T imager (Avanto TIM,
Siemens,
Erlangen) by use of ECG retrospectively gated phase-contrast FLASH (Fast Low-Angle Shot) through-plane sequence with following technical parameters (TR 36.2 ms,
TE 10.4 ms,
FA 10°,
VE 10cm/s,
FOV...
Results
The cross-sectional area of cerebral aqueduct has been larger in CH group than in WHD group,
due to the generally wider aqueductal diameter in communicating hydrocephalus patients (Table 1),
and statistically significant difference between the groups has been found (p<0.05).
Bidirectional intraaqueductal CSF net flow has been significantly higher in CH group in comparison to WHD group (p<0.001); also the summary net flow values were significantly higher in CH than in WHD group (p<0.05),
whereas in CH group net CSF flow has been found to...
Conclusion
Dynamic phase-contrast MRI techniques by use of implemented FLASH through-plane sequence,
positioned perpendicularly to the cerebral aqueduct enables the precise measurement of CSF flow parameters by “Segment” software in both experimental and control groups.
Phase-contrast MRI CSF flow quantification within cerebral aqueduct may facilitate the establishing of the communicant hydrocephalus diagnosis,
but also may enable to accurately differentiate communicant hydrocephalus from other entities,
which correlates with the results of some other similar investigations14,15.
Shapes of characteristic curves of net flow,
average and maximal velocity were...
References
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Johanson CE,
Duncan JA 3rd,
Klinge PM,
Brinker T,
Stopa EG,
Silverberg GD.
Multiplicity of cerebrospinal fluid functions: New challenges in health and disease.
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Penn RD,
Linninger A.
The physics of hydrocephalus.
Pediatr Neurosurg.
2009;45(3):161-74
Bulat M,
Klarica M.
Recent insights into a new hydrodynamics of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Brain Res Rev.
2011;65(2):99-112
Min KJ,
Yoon SH,
Kang JK.
New understanding of the role of cerebrospinal fluid: offsetting of...
Personal Information
Milos A.
Lucic
Diagnostic Imaging Center
Institute of Oncology of Vojvodina
University School of Medicine,
University of Novi Sad
Institutski put 4
21204 Sremska Kamenica
Serbia
e-mail:
[email protected]