title: Evaluation of aqueductal CSF flow dynamics with phase contrast cine MR imaging in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate dynamic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) patients with new MRI technology phase contrast cine (PCC) MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and 11 healthy volunteers were included in this study. Nine of the IIH cases had been previously diagnosed and had been on drug treatment and 10 cases were diagnosed with IIH recently and had not been put on drug treatment yet. All CSF flow datas were evaluated by phase contrast-MRI using a 1,5 T MRI. The CSF flow was calculated in the equidistant MRI sequence which was taken through a cardiac cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean aqueduct area in the IIH group was 3.04 ± 1.14 mm², mean peak rate was 3.29 ± 1.77 cm/sec, mean average rate was 0.35 ± 0.33 cm/sec and mean flow was 0.67 ± 0.95 ml/min. In the control group mean aqueduct area was 2.87 ± 1.01 mm², mean peak rate was 4.20 ± 1.40 cm/sec, mean average rate was 0.37 ± 0.18 cm/sec and mean flow was 0.64 ± 0.40 ml/min. A statistically significant difference was found for the PCC MRI parameter of mean rate value (p: 0.007) between the control group and IIH patients. A statistically insignificant (p: 0.058) but marked difference was found for mean flow value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge this study is the first CSF flow study in the idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients. We found a difference between the IIH groups and controls in mean rate and flow parameters. It was interesting that the mean rate and flow values of the untreated group that were higher than the controls. CSF flow analysis may be a marker to follow up IIH patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, and Department of Radiology, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Inonu University, School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. okamisli@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akay
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kamisli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kahraman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tecellioglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002535:Cerebral Aqueduct; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged