title: Evaluation of CSF flow patterns of posterior fossa cystic malformations using CSF flow MR imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differential radiologic diagnosis of cystic malformations of the posterior fossa is often difficult with conventional imaging techniques because of overlapping features of these entities. Posterior fossa cystic malformations occupy the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces. They may create secondary dynamic effects on the movements of CSF. The aim of this study was to investigate CSF flow alterations in posterior fossa cystic malformations with CSF flow MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 40 patients with cystic malformations of the posterior fossa. The patients underwent cardiac-gated phase-contrast cine MR imaging. CSF flow was qualitatively evaluated using an in-plane phase-contrast sequence in the midsagittal plane. The MR images were displayed in a closed-loop cine format.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve of the patients had communicating arachnoid cyst, seven had non-communicating arachnoid cyst, ten had mega cisterna magna, six had Dandy-Walker malformation, two had Dandy-Walker variant, and three had Blake's pouch cyst. CSF flow MR imaging indicated the regions of no, slow or higher flow, direction of flow, and abnormal cystic fluid motion. Each malformation displayed a distinct CSF flow pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phase-contrast cine MR imaging for CSF flow evaluation may be a useful adjunct to routine MR imaging in the evaluation of the cystic malformations of the posterior fossa because it can improve the specificity in differentiating such malformations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Uludag, 16159, Bursa, Turkey. haruny@uludag.edu.tr
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Bahattin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hakyemez
authors.forename: Cuneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Mufit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parlak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000503:physiopathology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002946:Cisterna Magna / Q000002:abnormalities; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000002:abnormalities*; D003616:Dandy-Walker Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed