Visualization of pulsatile CSF motion separated by membrane-like structure based on four-dimensional phase-contrast (4D-PC) velocity mapping.

This work was performed to indicate the usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR) 4-dimentional phase contrast (4D-PC) technique in assessing CerebroSpinal Fluid (CSF) motion in comparison with the time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse (Time-SLIP) technique. 4D-velocity vector, their curl, and, pressure gradient were evaluated in both flow phantom, and normal volunteers and a patient with hydrocepharus. The velocity and pressure gradient fields obtained by the 4D-PC technique were useful to visualize the CSF dynamics under the presence of a membrane-like structure, unlike the Time-SLIP in which the spin travel was visualized. Quantitative property was another advantage of the 4D-PC. The curl and the pressure gradient fields obtained with actual units should help clinicians to classify the conditions of the patients with CSF disorders.