Contrast-enhanced MR myelography in spontaneous intracranial hypotension: description of an artefact imitating CSF leakage

Hattingen, Elke; DuMesnil, Richard; Pilatus, Ulrich; Raabe, Andreas; Kahles, Timo; Beck, Jürgen (2009). Contrast-enhanced MR myelography in spontaneous intracranial hypotension: description of an artefact imitating CSF leakage. European radiology, 19(7), pp. 1799-808. Berlin: Springer 10.1007/s00330-009-1347-0

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In contrast-enhanced (CE) MR myelography, hyperintense signal outside the intrathecal space in T1-weighted sequences with spectral presaturation inversion recovery (SPIR) is usually considered to be due to CSF leakage. We retrospectively investigated a hyperintense signal at the apex of the lung appearing in this sequence in patients with SIH (n = 5), CSF rhinorrhoea (n = 2), lumbar spine surgery (n = 1) and in control subjects (n = 6). Intrathecal application of contrast agent was performed in all patients before MR examination, but not in the control group. The reproducible signal increase was investigated with other fat suppression techniques and MR spectroscopy. All patients and controls showed strongly hyperintense signal at the apex of the lungs imitating CSF leakage into paraspinal tissue. This signal increase was identified as an artefact, caused by spectroscopically proven shift and broadening of water and lipid resonances (1-2 ppm) in this anatomical region. Only patients with SIH showed additional focal enhancement along the spinal nerve roots and/or in the spinal epidural space. In conclusion CE MR myelography with spectral selective fat suppression shows a reproducible cervicothoracic artefact, imitating CSF leakage. Selective water excitation technique as well as periradicular and epidural contrast collections may be helpful to discriminate between real pathological findings and artefacts.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurosurgery

UniBE Contributor:

Raabe, Andreas, Beck, Jürgen

ISSN:

0938-7994

Publisher:

Springer

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 15:13

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:22

Publisher DOI:

10.1007/s00330-009-1347-0

PubMed ID:

19238388

Web of Science ID:

000266780800033

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/32031

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/32031 (FactScience: 196861)

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