Evaluation of noninvasive cerebrospinal fluid volume measurement method with 3D-FASE MRI

Abstract

Hydrocephalus and cerebral atrophy are pathologies characterized by an abnormal increase in intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume accompanied by dilation of the cerebral ventricles and fissures. Measurements of the CSF volume are necessary to accurately assess the clinical course of such patients. A noninvasive and rapid CSF volume measurement method has been developed using heavily T2-weighted 3D-FASE MRI, which can selectively visualize the CSF with high signal intensities, and a region-growing method for extracting the CSF region. Volume measurement requires about 30 minutes, and the segmentation results of CSF are also used to create 3D displays showing the relevant anatomical information. The error in measured volumes was within 10% in phantom experiments. Intracranial and ventricular CSF volumes of normal volunteers ranged between 100 and 150 ml and between 10 and 20 ml, respectively, which agree with the values obtained by conventional methods. Increased intracranial and/or ventricular CSF volumes were observed in patients with hydrocephalus and patients with cerebral atrophy. The results suggest that the ratio of intracranial and ventricular CSF volumes could be useful for the evaluation of patients with neurological diseases. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Syst Comp Jpn, 29(14): 41–49, 1998