FLOW-SENSITIVE MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN THE EVALUATION OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID LEAKS

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks involving the skull base are associate d with considerable morbidity and mortality, and often present a diagn ostic challenge. Current diagnostic methods are invasive and cumbersom e and involve substantial radiation exposure of the patient. The autho rs identified seven patients with clinically suspected CSF leaks and e valuated them with a flow-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) s equence in addition to more conventional studies. In cases with active CSF leakage, flow characteristics were documented with slow-flow and diffusion-weighted MRI. Unlike current approaches, MRI offers the adva ntages of rapidity, non-invasiveness, and absence of ionizing radiatio n. Preliminary results suggest that flow-sensitive MRI may have a role in the evaluation of CSF leaks involving the skull base and temporal bone.