Turkish Neurosurgery 2018 , Vol 28 , Num 2
The Role of Cine Flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Chiari 0 Malformation
Kerem Mazhar OZSOY1,Kadir OKTAY2,Nuri Eralp CETINALP1,Yurdal GEZERCAN3,Tahsin ERMAN1
1Cukurova University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Adana, Turkey
2Mehmet Akif Inan Training and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Sanliurfa, Turkey
3Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Adana, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.19049-16.2 AIM: To define the role of phase-contrast cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in deciding the therapeutic strategy and underlying pathophysiology resulting in syrinx formation in patients with Chiari type 0 malformation.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Seven patients who were admitted to our clinic with the diagnosis of Chiari 0 malformation from January 2005 to July 2016 were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent a detailed preoperative neurological examination. Entire neuroaxis MRI and phase-contrast cine MRI were obtained preoperatively and postoperatively.

RESULTS: Seven patients (5 female and 2 male) with Chiari type 0 malformation fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All of the patients had absent cine flow at the craniovertebral junction except two patients. These five patients underwent surgical interventions; suboccipital decompression and duraplasty. All of them showed both clinical and radiological improvement in the postoperative period.

CONCLUSION: Cine flow MRI appears to be a useful tool in the management of patients with Chiari 0 malformation. There was a good correlation between the clinical presentation and cine flow preoperatively, and between clinical improvement and cine flow in the postoperative period. Keywords : Chiari 0 malformation, Cine flow magnetic resonance imaging, Decompression, Duraplasty

Corresponding author : Kerem Mazhar OZSOY, mazhartac95@hotmail.com