Cerebrospinal Fluid CSF Flow Artifacts are Associated with Brain Pulsation in Patients with Severe Carotid Artery Stenoses

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the factors associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow artifacts on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging in patients with carotid artery (CA) stenosis.

Methods: Each CSF artifact grade was defined by comparing the highest intensity in a given region of interest (ROI) to those in reference ROIs, as follows: higher than the intensity of normal white matter in the centrum semiovale = 2 points; equal to or less than the white matter, and higher than CSF = 1 point; and equal to CSF = 0. CSF flow scores in eight sites were measured and added to the total score (0 -16). The prevalences of each finding, specifically white matter lesions, CA stenoses and brain atrophy, were compared using multivariate logistic regression models.

Results: We evaluated the findings in 54 patients with CA stenosis treated by CA stenting (CAS) and 200 adults with no history of neurological disorders (control group). Adjusted by stroke risk factors, a CSF flow score ≤ 11 was positively associated with CA stenosis, heart rate > 70 / min, and brain atrophy, and negatively with the female gender. The score was 12.8 ± 1.8 in the control group and 12.0 ± 2.0 in CA stenosis group after CAS, which was significantly higher than before CAS (10.4 ± 2.8, p<0.001).

Conclusion: The CSF flow score was associated with female gender, brain atrophy, heart rate, and severe CA stenosis, and was found to be elevated after revascularization.

Keywords: Brain pulsation; brain atrophy; carotid artery stenosis; cerebral blood flow; cerebrospinal fluid; risk factor.