Diffuse brain oedema in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a quantitative magnetic resonance imaging study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the hypothesis that idiopathic intracranial hypertension is associated with diffuse brain oedema, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging.


METHODS
Values for the mean diffusivity of water (<D>) and the proton longitudinal relaxation time (T1) were measured for various brain regions in 10 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and 10 age, sex, and weight matched controls.


RESULTS
No significant differences in <D> and T1 values were found between patient and control groups in any of the brain regions investigated.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that idiopathic intracranial hypertension is not associated with abnormalities of convective transependymal water flow leading to diffuse brain oedema.
Bastin
M E
ME
Medical and Radiological Sciences (Medical Physics), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. meb@skull.dcn.ed.ac.uk
Sinha
S
S
Farrall
A J
AJ
Wardlaw
J M
JM
Whittle
I R
IR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004805:Ependyma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology