Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cerebrospinal fluid flow

III. Pathological cerebrospinal fluid pulsations

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
  • Published:
Neuroradiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Cardiac- and respiration-related movements of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were investigated by MRI in 71 patients. In most patients with arteriosclerotic occlusive vascular disease CSF pulsations are normal. Decreased pulsatile flow is detectable in those with arteriovenous malformations, intracranial air and following lumbar puncture and withdrawal of CSF. Increased pulsatile flow in the cerebral aqueduct was found in 2 patients with large aneurysms, idiopathic communicating syringomyelia and in most cases of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). CSF flow in the cervical spinal canal is, however, reduced or normal in NPH, indicating reduction of the unfolding ability of the surface of the brain and/or inhibition of rapid CSF movements in the subarachnoid space over its convexity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kellie G (1824) An account of the appearance observed in the dissection of two of three individuals presumed to have perished in the storm of the 3rd, and whose bodies were discovered in the vicinity of Leigh on the morning of the 4th November 1821, with some reflections on the pathology of the brain. Trans Med Chir Soc (Edinb) 1: 84–169

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schroth G, Klose U (1992) Cerebrospinal fluid flow. I. Physiology of cardiac related CSF pulsations. Neuroradiology 35: 1–9

    Google Scholar 

  3. Schroth G, Klose U (1992) Cerebrospinal fluid flow. II. Physiology of respiration — related CSF pulsations. Neuroradiology 35: 10–15

    Google Scholar 

  4. Faiss J, Schroth G, Grodd W, König E, Will B, Thron A (1990) Central spinal cord lesions in stenosis of the cervical canal. Neuroradiology 53: 117–123

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gardner WJ, Abdullah AF, Cormack LJ (1957) The varying expressions of embryonal atresia of the fourth ventricle in adults. Arnold-Chiari malformation, Dandy-Walker syndrome, arachnoid cyst of the cerebellum and syringomyelia. J Neurosurg 14: 591–607

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gardner WJ (1965) Hydrodynamic mechanism of syringomyelia: its relationship to myelocele. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 28: 247–259

    Google Scholar 

  7. Schroth G, Palmbach M, Steinmetz H (1989) MRI of syringomyelia: comparison with clinical symptoms and pre-and postoperative results. In: Nadjmi M (ed) XVth Congress of the European Society of Neuroradiology 1988. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 187–190

    Google Scholar 

  8. Du Boulay GH, O'Connell J, Curie J, Bostick T, Verity P (1972) Further investigations on pulsatile movements in the cerebrospinal pathways. Acta Radiol 13:496–523

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hakim S, Adams RD (1965) The clinical problem of symptomatic hydrocephalus with normal cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Observations on cerebrospinal fluid hydrodynamics. N Neurol Sci 2:307–327

    Google Scholar 

  10. Adams RD, Fisher CM, Hakim S, Ojemann RG, Sweet WH (1965) Symptomatic occult hydrocephalus with “normal” cerebrospinal fluid pressure. A treatable syndrome. N Engl J Med 2: 307–327

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tator CH, Fleming JFR, Shepard RD, Turner VM (1968) A radioisotopic test for communicating hydrocephalus. J Neurosurg 28: 327–340

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kushner M, Younkin D, Weinberger J, Hurtig H, Goldberg H, Reivich M (1984) Cerebral hemodynamics in the diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Neurology 34:96–99

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mathew NT, Meyer JS, Hartmann A, Ott EO (1975) Anormal cerebrospinal fluid blood flow dynamics. Implications in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in normal pressure hydrocephalus. Arch Neurol 32:657–664

    Google Scholar 

  14. Borgesen SE, Gjerris F (1987) Relationships between intracranial pressure, ventricular size, and resistance to CSF outflow. J Neurosurg 67:535–539

    Google Scholar 

  15. Vanneste J, Acker R von (1990) Normal pressure hydrocephalus: did publications alter management? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 53:564–568

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ball MJ, Dayan AD (1972) Pathogenesis of syringomyelia. Lancet II: 799–801

    Google Scholar 

  17. Du Boulay GH, Shah SH, Currie JC, Logue V (1974) The mechanism of hydromyelia in Chiari type 1 malformations. Br J Radiol 47: 579–587

    Google Scholar 

  18. Williams B (1971) Further thoughts on the valvular action of the Arnold-Chiari malformation. Dev Med Child Neurol 13 [Suppl 25]: 105–113

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. Schroth & U. Klose

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, W-7400, Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. Schroth

Authors
  1. G. Schroth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. U. Klose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schroth, G., Klose, U. Cerebrospinal fluid flow. Neuroradiology 35, 16–24 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588272

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588272

Key words

Search

Navigation