title: Noninvasive intracranial pressure estimation by orbital subarachnoid space measurement: the Beijing Intracranial and Intraocular Pressure (iCOP) study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The orbital subarachnoid space surrounding the optic nerve is continuous with the circulation system for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and can be visualized by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We hypothesized that the orbital subarachnoid space width (OSASW) is correlated with and can serve as a surrogate for intracranial pressure (ICP). Our aim was to develop a method for a noninvasive measurement of the intracranial CSF-pressure (CSF-P) based on MRI-assisted OSASW.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective observational comparative study included neurology patients who underwent lumbar CSF-P measurement and 3.0-Tesla orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for other clinical reasons. The width of the orbital subarachnoid space (OSASW) around the optic nerve was measured with MRI at 3, 9, and 15 mm behind the globe. The study population was randomly divided into a training group and a test group. After adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), algorithms for the associations between CSF-P and OSASW were calculated in the training group. The algorithms were subsequently verified in the test group. Main outcome measures were the width of the orbital subarachnoid space (OSASW) and the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSF-P).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two patients were included in the study. In the training group, the algorithms for the associations between CSF-P and OSASW were as follows: (a) CSF-P = 9.31 × OSASW (at 3 mm) + 0.48 × BMI + 0.14 × MABP-19.94; (b) CSF-P = 16.95 × OSASW (at 9 mm) + 0.39 × BMI + 0.14 × MABP-20.90; and (c) CSF-P = 17.54 × OSASW (at 15 mm) + 0.47 × BMI + 0.13 × MABP-21.52. Applying these algorithms in the independent test group, the measured lumbar CSF-P (13.6 ± 5.1 mm Hg) did not differ significantly from the calculated MRI-derived CSF-P (OSASW at 3 mm: 12.7 ± 4.2 mm Hg (P = 0.07); at 9 mm: 13.4 ± 5.1 mm Hg (P = 0.35); and at 15 mm: 14.0 ± 4.9 mm Hg (P = 0.87)). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were higher for the CSF-P assessment based on OSASW at 9 mm and at 15 mm behind the globe (all ICCs, 0.87) than for OSASW measurements at 3 mm (ICC, 0.80).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with normal, moderately decreased or elevated ICP, MRI-assisted measurement of the OSASW appears to be useful for the noninvasive quantitative estimation of ICP, if BMI and MABP as contributing parameters are taken into account.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical trial registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-OCC-11001271.
authors.forename: Xiaobin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jidi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Huaizhou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jost B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: Xiaoxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Junfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ritch
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zefeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Shoukang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Diya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ningli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects; D013346:Subarachnoid Space / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology