Intracranial fluid dynamics in normal and hydrocephalic states: systems analysis with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To present a novel magnetic resonance (MR) method of analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow dynamics.


METHODS
Fifty-one subjects were explored with phase-contrast cine MR imaging. There were 36 volunteers, 9 patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), and 6 patients with asymptomatic ventricular dilation (VD). The transfer function XFRA/CSF from the arterial pulse waves (APWs) and the CSF pulse waves (CSFPWs) and the transfer function XFRCSF/SS from the CSF pulse waves (CSFPWs) and the sagittal sinus pulse waves (SSPWs) were studied separately.


RESULTS
There was a significant difference in the amplitude spectrum of the XFRA/CSF of patients with VD and volunteers (P < 0.05) and in that of patients with NPH and volunteers (P = 0.005). The amplitude of the fundamental frequency was higher in the NPH group than in the VD group (P = 0.02). In patients with NPH, the amplitude spectrum of XFRCSF/SS showed an attenuation of the pulse wave components that significantly differed from the observed amplification in healthy subjects (P = 0.009) and patients with VD (P = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
This systems analysis method could help to detect increased venous compliance in VD and decreased venous compliance in NPH.
de Marco
Giovanni
G
Department of Biophysics and Image Processing, Northern Hospital, and University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.
Idy-Peretti
Ilana
I
Didon-Poncelet
Anne
A
Baledent
Olivier
O
Onen
Fannie
F
Feugeas
Marie Cécile Henry
MC
D000328:Adult; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000503:physiopathology; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008875:Middle Aged; D013597:Systems Analysis