CEREBROSPINAL FLUID-INTRACRANIAL VOLUME RATIO MEASUREMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH HIV-INFECTION - CLASS IMAGE-ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

PURPOSE: To prospectively study the Cerebrospinal fluid volume-total i ntracranial volume ratio (CSF/ICV) in human immunodeficiency virus (HI V)-infected patients at various stages of disease. MATERIALS AND METHO DS: A total of 258 volume measurements were obtained with use of a 1.5 -T magnetic resonance (MR) imager and the cluster localized automated spherical segmentation technique (which reduces two-dimensional pixel data from dual spin-echo MR images to a one-dimensional histogram) in 69 control subjects and 189 HIV-infected patients. RESULTS: The CSF/IC V was statistically significantly increased in patients with late-stag e (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention group IV) acquired immun odeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (0.16 +/- 0.05 [standard deviation]) compa red with seronegative control subjects (0.12 +/- 0.03) and patients wi thout symptoms (0.13 +/- 0.03). CONCLUSION: No substantial change in C SF/ICV occurs until development of late-stage AIDS.