Cerebrospinal fluid velocity amplitudes within the cerebral aqueduct in healthy children and patients with Chiari I malformation

Abstract

In pediatric CMI patients, AMV for CSF within the cerebral aqueduct and anterior CVJ subarachnoid space are significantly elevated preoperatively and normalize following surgery. Given the biphasic CSF motion, measuring amplitude accounts for cranial and caudal flow. It may offer an alternative parameter to assess postsurgical outcome. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:463-470.

Imaging of cerebrospinal fluid flow: fundamentals, techniques, and clinical applications of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

“…Paediatric patients with CMI and syringomyelia were also included in several research studies because PC-MRI is a non-invasive method of CSF flow assessment [51-53]. The results are consistent with other studies with approximately similar alterations in the CSF dynamics compared to adults [54,55]. Nonetheless, it must be stressed that CSF velocities vary with age [56], so selecting age-corresponding normative values is crucial to obtain unbiased results.…”

Quantifying the influence of respiration and cardiac pulsations on cerebrospinal fluid dynamics using real‐time phase‐contrast MRI

“…Note that respiratory effects could be detected by PCMRI gated to the respiratory cycle, but this would be at the expense of resolving cardiac cycle variations. Additionally, craniospinal disorders, such as Chiari malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM), directly affect the craniospinal mechanical compliance and obstructed CSF flow at FM due to lowered cerebellar tonsils causing greater CSF velocities . In particular, symptoms experienced by patients with CM and SM are exaggerated by coughing, sneezing, and Valsalva maneuver due to increased intracranial pressure.…”

“…Additionally, craniospinal disorders, such as Chiari malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM), directly affect the craniospinal mechanical compliance and obstructed CSF flow at FM due to lowered cerebellar tonsils causing greater CSF velocities. 19,36 In particular, symptoms experienced by patients with CM and SM are exaggerated by coughing, sneezing, and Valsalva maneuver 37 due to increased intracranial pressure. While invasive pressure measurements [5][6][7] in the brain and spine during Valsalva maneuver and coughing can be used as a means to assess the degree of FM obstruction, such a technique is not often used as a clinical diagnosis test.…”

Is cerebral spinal fluid flow associated with body mass index and head circumference in healthy children? A phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging study

“…Attributed to the sensitivity of this method, studies mainly focused on the ventricular system, subarachnoid spaces, spinal canal, and aqueductus cerebri, the latter of which has a regular CSF flow [1]. Expression of flow in numeric variables has allowed a better understanding of normal flow patterns and alterations in various pathologies, including normal pressure hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, and arachnoid cysts [2,3]. Owing to the popularization of neuroendoscopic interventions, PC-MRI was used for investigating the patency of third ventriculostomies and assessing CSF flow following endoscopic aqueductoplasty [4,5].…”