European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Phase-contrast MRI (PCMRI) with cardiac synchronism is a dynamic technique used to visualize cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) movement. The present study was conducted to assess Cerebrospinal Fluid Hydrodynamics Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Postcraniospinal Surgery Patients.
Materials and Methods: The present case-control study comprising 30 patients and 30 controls, conducted over a period of 2 years in a tertiary-care hospital in India. Healthy subjects formed the control group. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed before PCMRI. Assessment of clinical signs and symptoms was done pre and postoperatively. Statistical Analysis of data was done in terms of mean (±standard deviation), frequencies (number of cases), and percentages. The p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. All the analysis was performed on SPSS 16.0 version (Chicago, Inc., United States).
Results: The present case-control study comprising 30 patients and 30 controls. Postoperative imaging follow-up was done in 30 patients after an interval of 1 month. Postoperatively, a majority (17) of the patients showed improvement in clinical symptoms. 7 patients showed no change, while six patients showed deterioration. Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quantitative parameters measured at cerebral aqueduct, foramen magnum, C2–3, and D12–L1 vertebral levels, in controls, showed no significant difference in peak CSF velocities. In group I and group II mean change CSF velocity was noted in improved patients was more than the other patients.
Conclusion: The present study concluded that PCMRI can effectively evaluate changes in CSF flow noninvasively both pre- and postoperatively.