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Assessment of CSF dynamics and venous flow in the superior sagittal sinus by MRI in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a preliminary study

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
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Abstract

A velocity-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) phase-mapping method was used for noninvasive study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in the cerebral aqueduct, for indirect calculation of supra-tentorial CSF production, and for measurement of blood flow in the superoor sagittal sinus (SSS). We examined 12 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (HH; pseudotumour cerebri), and 10 healthy volunteers. The peak caudal and rostal CSF flow in the aqueduct during the cardiac cycle did not differ significantly between the patients and the volunteers. A significant correlation was found between the CSF volume flow amplitude and the resistance to cerebrospinal fluid out-flow in the patients (p<0.05). The calculated mean supratentorial CSF production rate was 0.79 ml/min in the patients and 0.70 ml/min in the controls, but this difference was not statistically significant. However, the MRI measurements suggested CSF hypersecretion in three patients, whereas increased transependymal passage of CSF could have been the cause of negative calculated CSF production rates in two others. A tendency towards lower mean blood flow in the SSS (mean 345 ml/min) in the patients than in the controls (mean 457 ml/min) was found, and in two patients showed very low values. We showed that MRI phase-mapping may be used to study the relative importance of the pathophysiological factors thought to play a role in the development of IIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Danish Research Center of Magnetic Resonance, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegaard allé 30, DK-2650, Hvidovre, Denmark

    P. Gideon, C. Thomsen, F. Ståhlberg & O. Henriksen

  2. Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    P. S. Sørensen

  3. Department of Radiation Physics, Lund University Hospital, Sweden

    F. Ståhlberg

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    F. Gjerris

Authors
  1. P. Gideon
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  2. P. S. Sørensen
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  3. C. Thomsen
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  4. F. Ståhlberg
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  5. F. Gjerris
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  6. O. Henriksen
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Gideon, P., Sørensen, P.S., Thomsen, C. et al. Assessment of CSF dynamics and venous flow in the superior sagittal sinus by MRI in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a preliminary study. Neuroradiology 36, 350–354 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612116

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612116

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