Intraventricular CSF Pulsation Artifact on Fast Fluid-Attenuated Inversion-Recovery MR Images: Analysis of 100 Consecutive Normal Studies
Rohit Bakshi
,a,
Shelton D. Caruthersa,
Vallabh Janardhana and
Mohammad Wasaya
a From the Dent Neurologic Institute, Lucy Dent Imaging Center, Kaleida Health-Millard Fillmore Hospital, Buffalo, NY (R.B., V.J., M.W.); and Philips Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance Division, Boston, MA (S.D.C.).
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FIG 1. Fourth ventricular CSF pulsation artifact in four subjects.
A–C, FLAIR axial images of three patients show increasing severity of fourth ventricular CSF pulsation artifact with increasing age: grade 0 in a 32-year-old (A); grade 1 in a 43-year-old (B); and grade 2 in a 71-year-old (C). Subarachnoid CSF artifact is also present in the basal cisterns in B and C.
D, The fourth ventricular CSF pulsation artifact that was present on the axial FLAIR image (C) is not visible on this sagittal FLAIR image.
E, FLAIR axial image of a subject with fourth ventricular CSF pulsation artifact also shows ghost pulsation artifacts (arrows) in the phase-encoding axis (left to right), causing superimposition of hyperintensities on the bilateral cerebellar parenchyma.
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FIG 2. Third ventricular CSF pulsation artifact in two subjects.
A and B, Contiguous FLAIR axial images of a 67-year-old man referred for dizziness. The patient has a grade 2 third ventricular VCSFA in the inferior aspect of the third ventricle (A) and a large third ventricle.
C, FLAIR axial image of a subject with third ventricular CSF pulsation artifact also has bilateral ghost pulsation artifacts in the phase-encoding axis (left to right), causing superimposition of hyperintensities on the bilateral adjacent brain. The most prominent ghost artifact (arrow) is in the left basal ganglia.
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FIG 3. Lateral ventricular CSF pulsation artifact in two subjects.
A and B, Contiguous FLAIR axial images of a 70-year-old man show focal lateral ventricular CSF pulsation artifacts bilaterally, more prominent on the right, in the region of the foramen of Monro (arrows).
C, A subject with lateral ventricular CSF pulsation artifact (open arrow) also has ghost pulsation artifacts in the phase-encoding axis (left to right), causing superimposition of hyperintensities on the bilateral adjacent brain parenchyma.
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FIG 4. A, The group with third ventricular VCSFA had significantly larger third ventricles (P < .0001) than did those without third ventricular VCSFA. For illustrative purposes, the patients are divided into categories based on small, medium, and large third ventricles.
B, The group with fourth ventricular VCSFA had significantly larger third ventricles (P < .01) than did those without fourth ventricular VCSFA. For illustrative purposes, the patients are divided into categories based on small, medium, and large third ventricles.
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