Insight Into the Anatomy of Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow in the Human Ventricular System Using MR Velocity Mapping

Andreas Stadlbauer¹, Wilma van der Riet², Erich Salomonowitz¹

To study the spatial and temporal dynamics of CSF flow in the ventricular system of 40 normal volunteers using time-resolved 3D magnetic resonance velocity mapping. Classification of CSF flow based on calculation of 3D particle path lines over the cardiac cycle revealed one uniform flow pattern for the lateral ventricles, three categories for the third and two categories for the fourth ventricle. We found no significant aging effects on both the presence of a specific CSF flow pattern and on flow velocities. Our results provide the first detailed demonstration of the anatomy of CSF flow within the human ventricular system.