PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential role of ECG-gated flow sensitive phase contrast cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in detecting the communication between cystic intracranial lesions and neighboring cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) spaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty one patients with intracranial cystic lesions (arachnoid cyst, 15; epidermoid cyst, 2; glioma, 1; dermoid cyst, 1; and mega cisterna magna, 2) underwent CSF flow studies in addition to the conventional MR sequences. MR imaging was performed with ECG gated two dimensional fast imaging steady-state precession sequence (2D-FISP). Using the cine images obtained per cardiac cycle, we tried to identify the communication between cysts or cyst-like structures and neighboring CSF spaces. Results were compared with intraoperative findings, computed tomography (CT) cisternography and scintigraphy. RESULTS: In 14 cystic lesions, no communication was identified. In five arachnoid cysts, a pulsatile CSF flow was seen in the cysts. In the two enlarged cisterna magnas there was a pulsatile flow coming from the central CSF spaces. All intraoperative, CT cisternography and scintigraphy findings were compatible with the results of the MR flow studies. CONCLUSION: Cine-mode MR imaging with ECG gated 2D phase contrast MR sequence technique is a reliable noninvasive alternative to CT cisternography for functional evaluation of the cystic lesions, because it enables visualization of the flow communication between cysts or cyst-like structures and neighboring CSF spaces.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential role of ECG-gated flow sensitive phase contrast cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in detecting the communication between cystic intracranial lesions and neighboring cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) spaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty one patients with intracranial cystic lesions (arachnoid cyst, 15; epidermoid cyst, 2; glioma, 1; dermoid cyst, 1; and mega cisterna magna, 2) underwent CSF flow studies in addition to the conventional MR sequences. MR imaging was performed with ECG gated two dimensional fast imaging steady-state precession sequence (2D-FISP). Using the cine images obtained per cardiac cycle, we tried to identify the communication between cysts or cyst-like structures and neighboring CSF spaces. Results were compared with intraoperative findings, computed tomography (CT) cisternography and scintigraphy. RESULTS: In 14 cystic lesions, no communication was identified. In five arachnoid cysts, a pulsatile CSF flow was seen in the cysts. In the two enlarged cisterna magnas there was a pulsatile flow coming from the central CSF spaces. All intraoperative, CT cisternography and scintigraphy findings were compatible with the results of the MR flow studies. CONCLUSION:Cine-mode MR imaging with ECG gated 2D phase contrast MR sequence technique is a reliable noninvasive alternative to CT cisternography for functional evaluation of the cystic lesions, because it enables visualization of the flow communication between cysts or cyst-like structures and neighboring CSF spaces.