Differential diagnosis of arachnoid cyst from subarachnoid space enlargement by phase-contrast cine MRI.
OBJECTIVE
To reveal the relationship of brain motion and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow by phase-contrast cine MRI, and to evaluate this technique in differentiating between arachnoid cysts and subarachnoid space enlargement.


METHODS
Using a phase-contrast cine MRI pulse sequence, we measured brain motion and CSF flow during the cardiac cycle in 10 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with MRI-suspected arachnoid cyst or subarachnoid space enlargement. CSF stroke volume curve was illustrated according to flow quantification, and time-signal intensity curve was traced. The two curves were compared.


RESULTS
This study showed that brain motion was due to the volume difference between arterial and venous blood flow during a cardiac cycle, and thus drives CSF pulsation. Arachnoid cysts and subarachnoid space enlargement carried different curve patterns, demonstrating that phase-contrast MRI and flow quantification can be a useful and reliable technique for non-invasive evaluation of brain motion and CSF flow.


CONCLUSIONS
Arachnoid cysts can be successfully differentiated using phase-contrast cine MRI from subarachnoid space enlargement.
Yu
Qun
Q
Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
Kong
Xiangquan
X
Liu
Dingxi
D
D000328:Adult; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D013346:Subarachnoid Space / Q000473:pathology*