The aim of this study was to measure the oscillating CSF flow in the mesencephalic aqueduct and to correlate the findings with clinical outcome following shunt implantation.
We examined 16 patients with communicating hydrocephalus using an ECG-gated phase contrast sequence and compared the measurement results with 16 age matched healthy controls. In detail, the following parameters were calculated: 1. volumetric flow rates and their time course, 2. systolic-diastolic flow amplitudes, and 3. systolic stroke volumes.
Although patients and controls differed significantly when looked upon as groups, the considerable scatter of isolated measurement results precluded a reliable assignment of individuals to either the patient or control group: in terms of flow amplitudes, 7/15 successfully shunted patients were within the normal range, the corresponding figures for the stroke volumes were 8/15 patients. The only patient in whom implantation of a shunt was not successful had a markedly increased oscillating flow.
Quantitative measurement of aqueductal CSF flow—albeit noninvasive—is not suitable for screening candidates for shunt implantation in communicating hydrocephalus.