Lund Institute of Technology, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Physiol Meas. 2011 Apr;32(4):407-21. doi: 10.1088/0967-3334/32/4/003. Epub 2011 Feb 23.
The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using three-directional velocity encoded 3D gradient echo (GE) phase contrast (PC) imaging to assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow connectivity in the human brain. Five healthy volunteers were scanned using low velocity sensitivity (V(enc) = 0.04-0.05 m s(-1)). Flow-time curves were compared to standard 2D PC scans. The 3D data were used to reconstruct in vivo CSF flow volumes based on time-averaged phase-difference information, and the patency of the CSF flow pathways was assessed using nearest-neighbour connectivity. A pulsatile flow phantom was used to gauge the measurement accuracy of the CSF flow volumes at low flow velocities. Flow connectivity from the lateral ventricles down to the cisterna magna was successfully demonstrated in all volunteers. The phantom tests showed a good distinction between the flow cavities and the background noise. 3D PC imaging results in CSF flow waveforms with similar pulsatility but underestimated peak velocities compared to 2D PC data. 3D time-resolved velocity encoded GE imaging has successfully been applied to assess CSF flow connectivity in normal subjects.
本研究旨在探讨使用三维速度编码 3D 梯度回波（GE）相位对比（PC）成像评估人脑脑脊液（CSF）流动连通性的可行性。 对五名健康志愿者进行了低流速灵敏度（V(enc)=0.04-0.05 m s(-1)）扫描。 比较了流量-时间曲线与标准 2D PC 扫描。 使用基于时均相位差信息的 3D 数据来重建体内 CSF 流量，使用最近邻连通性来评估 CSF 流动路径的通畅性。 使用脉动流体模来评估在低流速下 CSF 流量测量的准确性。 在所有志愿者中，均成功地显示了从侧脑室到脑池的 CSF 流动连通性。 体模测试表明，在流动腔和背景噪声之间有很好的区分。 与 2D PC 数据相比，3D PC 成像结果在 CSF 流动波形的搏动性相似，但低估了峰值速度。 三维时间分辨速度编码 GE 成像已成功应用于评估正常受试者的 CSF 流动连通性。
