Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging of cerebrospinal fluid flow through the aqueduct of sylvius in chronic tension-type headache / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To study the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow through the aqueduct of sylvius in chronic tension-type headache patients with phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging.@*METHODS@#Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the CSF flow through the aqueduct was obtained from 17 patients with chronic tension-type headache and 26 control subjects. A software for CSF flow was applied for MRI data analysis both qualitatively and quantitatively.@*RESULTS@#The CSF through the aqueduct flew in the caudal and cranial directions with the rhythm of the heartbeat in both groups. There were 2 types of flow curves the smooth "U" and the wave, which were 25 vs 1 in the controls and 11 vs 6 in the patients (P<0.05), respectively. The mean caudocranial flow rate through the aqueduct was (0.235±0.157) mL/s vs (0.133±0.106) mL/s (P<0.05) and the velocity was (6.023±2.654) cm/s vs (3.479±2.364) cm/s (P<0.05), and the mean craniocaudal flow rate was (-0.358±0.201) mL/s vs (-0.190±0.141) mL/s (P<0.05) and the velocity was (-8.263±3.020) cm/s vs (-4.788±2.862) cm/s (P<0.05), respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The CSF flow curve, rate and velocity through the aqueduct in the patients with chronic tension-type headache is anomalous in comparison with the controls.