Iskandar Bermans J, Sansone Jason M, Medow Joshua, Rowley Howard A
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA.
J Neurosurg. 2004 Nov;101(2 Suppl):147-51. doi: 10.3171/ped.2004.101.2.0147.
Children with shunt-treated hydrocephalus are exposed to serious amounts of radiation when undergoing computerized tomography (CT) scanning. The authors report their clinical experience with single-shot fast-spin echo (SSFSE) (quick-brain) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as the modality of choice for the workup and follow up of patients in whom a shunt has been placed to treat hydrocephalus.
A retrospective chart review was performed to obtain data on all cases in which a quick-brain MR image was acquired for either symptomatic workup or asymptomatic follow-up examination of shunt-treated hydrocephalus. Data regarding demographics, origin of hydrocephalus, MR imaging indications and findings, use of sedation, imaging-related complications, use of adjunctive CT scanning, details of shunt revision, and cause of shunt malfunction were collected. The authors found that SSFSE MR imaging is a sufficient, radiation-free diagnostic alternative to CT scanning that minimizes movement artifact and duration of scanning and eliminates the need for sedation.
In light of these findings, the authors propose that quick-brain MR imaging replace CT scanning as the diagnostic modality of choice in examining and following shunt-treated patients because it offers significant advantages.
接受分流治疗的脑积水患儿在进行计算机断层扫描（CT）时会受到大量辐射。作者报告了他们使用单次激发快速自旋回波（SSFSE）（快速脑）磁共振成像（MR）作为对接受分流治疗脑积水患者进行检查和随访的首选方式的临床经验。
进行回顾性病历审查，以获取所有因有症状检查或无症状随访而对接受分流治疗的脑积水患者进行快速脑MR成像的病例数据。收集了有关人口统计学、脑积水起源、MR成像指征和结果、镇静剂使用、成像相关并发症、辅助CT扫描的使用、分流修正细节以及分流故障原因的数据。作者发现，SSFSE MR成像是一种足够的、无辐射的CT扫描诊断替代方法，可最大限度地减少运动伪影和扫描时间，并消除对镇静的需求。
鉴于这些发现，作者建议快速脑MR成像取代CT扫描，作为检查和随访接受分流治疗患者的首选诊断方式，因为它具有显著优势。
