title: Fast multiphase MR imaging of aqueductal CSF flow: 2. Study in patients with hydrocephalus.
abstract: The signal intensity in the region corresponding to the cerebral aqueduct was evaluated in three patients with noncommunicating tension hydrocephalus (caused by aqueductal obstruction in two and type I Arnold-Chiari malformation in the other), seven patients with suspected normal-pressure hydrocephalus (three of whom subsequently underwent successful shunting), and 10 patients with ex vacuo (atrophic) hydrocephalus. A gradient-echo MR sequence, called fast multiphase imaging, was used. Serial images corresponding to different phases of the cardiac cycle were acquired. No flow-related enhancement was observed over the entire cardiac cycle in the patients with noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus showed a higher aqueductal CSF signal intensity, consistent with increased systolic flow rates, than patients with ex vacuo hydrocephalus. When comparing the above two groups of patients with a control group of healthy volunteers, significantly higher and lower values of the (mean) maximum aqueductal signal intensity were found in the normal-pressure hydrocephalus patients and the ex vacuo hydrocephalus patients, respectively. Fast multiphase MR evaluation of aqueductal CSF flow may help to differentiate patients with different types of hydrocephalus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascalchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ciraolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bucciolini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inzitari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arnetoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dal Pozzo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002535:Cerebral Aqueduct / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow