Purpose: Presented here is a strategy of sequential lateral decubitus digital subtraction myelography (LDDSM) followed closely by lateral decubitus CT (LDCT) to facilitate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-venous fistula (CVF) localization.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients referred to our institution for evaluation of CSF leak. Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 leaks, and those not displaying MR brain stigmata of intracranial hypotension were excluded. All patients underwent consecutive LDDSM and LDCT. If the CVF was not localized on the first LDDSM-LDCT pair the patient returned for contralateral examinations. Images were reviewed for CVF and for accumulation of contrast within the renal pelvises expressed as a renal pelvis contrast score (RPCS) in Hounsfield units (HU).
Results: Twenty-two patients were included in this study. In 21 of 22 patients (95%) a CVF was identified yielding an RPCS for the LDDSM-LDCT pair ipsilateral to the CVF ranging from 71 to 423 with an average of 146 HU. An RPCS of the negative side LDDSM-LDCT pair contralateral to a CVF was available in 8 patients and averaged 51 HU. In 4 patients the initial bilateral LDDSM-LDCT pairs did not reveal the location of the CVF however in 3 of these 4 cases the CVF was revealed on a third LDDSM repeated ipsilateral to the higher RPCS.
Conclusion: The strategy of sequential LDDSM-LDCT coupled with evaluation of renal accumulation of contrast agent appears to improve the rate of CVF localization and warrants further evaluation.
Keywords: CSF–venous fistula; Cerebrospinal fluid leak; decubitus myelography; digital subtraction myelography.