American Journal of Neuroradiology 21:493-502 (3 2000)
© 2000 American Society of Neuroradiology
ARTICLE
CSF Flow Studies of Intracranial Cysts and Cyst-like Lesions Achieved Using Reversed Fast Imaging with Steady-State Precession MR Sequences
a From the Departments of Radiology (K.T.H., N.H., J.O., M.G., R.F.), Neurology (B.U.M., S.R.), and Neurosurgery (C.S.) Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Differentiating between intracranial cysts or cyst-like structures and communicating or noncommunicating cysts is often not possible with cranial CT or nonfunctional MR imaging. We evaluated a retrospective ECG-gated fast imaging with steady-state precession (PSIF) MR sequence with optional cine mode to differentiate cystic masses from enlarged CSF spaces and to determine the accuracy of detecting communication between cysts and neighboring CSF spaces.
METHODS: Fourteen patients with intracranial cystic masses underwent CSF flow studies with an ungated and a retrospective ECG-gated cine-mode PSIF sequence in addition to spin-echo imaging. Findings were evaluated retrospectively by using a five-point rating scale and without knowledge of clinical or other imaging findings. Results were compared with intraoperative findings or with results of intrathecal contrast studies.
RESULTS: Eighteen arachnoid cysts and one enlarged cisterna magna were diagnosed. Improved differentiation between cysts and enlarged CSF spaces was obtained with cine-mode PSIF imaging in six lesions (six patients). Increased diagnostic certainty as to communication between cysts and CSF spaces was obtained in 18 cysts (13 patients). Diagnoses were verified by membranectomy in five lesions, by CT cisternography in five lesions, and indirectly by shunting in one cystic lesion. In one case, MR diagnosis was not confirmed by CT cisternography.
CONCLUSION: Cine-mode MR imaging with a retrospective ECG-gated flow-sensitive PSIF sequence contributed to the certainty of communication between arachnoid cysts and neighboring CSF spaces with an accuracy of 90%, using surgical findings or intrathecal contrast studies as reference. Differentiation between intracranial cysts and enlargement of CSF spaces and other cystic masses was improved in 25% of cases.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  G. B. Chavhan, P. S. Babyn, B. G. Jankharia, H.-L. M. Cheng, and M. M. Shroff Steady-State MR Imaging Sequences: Physics, Classification, and Clinical Applications RadioGraphics, July 1, 2008; 28(4): 1147 - 1160. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Z.W. Zhang, L.J. Song, Q.F. Meng, Z.P. Li, B.N. Luo, Y.H. Yang, and Z. Pei High-Resolution Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging of the Human Lumbosacral Plexus and Its Branches Based on a Steady-State Free Precession Imaging Technique at 3T AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., June 1, 2008; 29(6): 1092 - 1094. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Yildiz, C. Erdogan, R. Yalcin, Z. Yazici, B. Hakyemez, M. Parlak, and E. Tuncel Evaluation of Communication between Intracranial Arachnoid Cysts and Cisterns with Phase-Contrast Cine MR Imaging AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., January 1, 2005; 26(1): 145 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. B. Joseph, L. Raghuram, I. P. Korah, and A. G. Chacko MR Ventriculography for the Study of CSF Flow AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., March 1, 2003; 24(3): 373 - 381. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|