title: In vivo analysis of physiological 3D blood flow of cerebral veins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To visualize and quantify physiological blood flow of intracranial veins in vivo using time-resolved, 3D phase-contrast MRI (4D flow MRI), and to test measurement accuracy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen healthy volunteers underwent repeated ECG-triggered 4D flow MRI (3 Tesla, 32-channel head coil). Intracranial venous blood flow was analysed using dedicated software allowing for blood flow visualization and quantification in analysis planes at the superior sagittal, straight, and transverse sinuses. MRI was evaluated for intra- and inter-observer agreement and scan-rescan reproducibility. Measurements of the transverse sinuses were compared with transcranial two-dimensional duplex ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visualization of 3D blood flow within cerebral sinuses was feasible in 100 % and within at least one deep cerebral vein in 87 % of the volunteers. Blood flow velocity/volume increased along the superior sagittal sinus and was lower in the left compared to the right transverse sinus. Intra- and inter-observer reliability and reproducibility of blood flow velocity (mean difference 0.01/0.02/0.02 m/s) and volume (mean difference 0.0002/-0.0003/0.00003 l/s) were good to excellent. High/low velocities were more pronounced (8 % overestimation/9 % underestimation) in MRI compared to ultrasound.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four-dimensional flow MRI reliably visualizes and quantifies three-dimensional cerebral venous blood flow in vivo and is promising for studies in patients with sinus thrombosis and related diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • 4D flow MRI can be used to visualize and quantify physiological cerebral venous haemodynamics • Flow quantification within cerebral sinuses reveals high reliability and accuracy of 4D flow MRI • Blood flow volume and velocity increase along the superior sagittal sinus • Limited spatial resolution currently precludes flow quantification in small cerebral veins.
authors: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre, Breisacherstrasse 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany, florian.schuchardt@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Schuchardt
authors: Laure
authors: L
authors: Schroeder
authors: Constantin
authors: C
authors: Anastasopoulos
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Markl
authors: Jochen
authors: J
authors: Bäuerle
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Hennemuth
authors: Johann
authors: J
authors: Drexl
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: Valdueza
authors: Irina
authors: I
authors: Mader
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Harloff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003392:Cranial Sinuses / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012851:Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / Q000503:physiopathology; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D055815:Young Adult
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