Cerebrospinal fluid fistula: detection with MR cisternography.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to assess the role of MR cisternography in the examination of patients with suspected CSF rhinorrhea.

METHODS: MR cisternography was performed as a heavily T2-weighted fast spin-echo study with fat suppression and video reversal of the images in 37 patients over a 3-year interval. Twenty-four of the patients subsequently had exploratory surgery for fistula. Statistical analysis of the surgical results was compared with the findings at MR cisternography.

RESULTS: MR cisternography showed significant correlation with surgical findings, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.87, 0.57, and 0.78, respectively.

CONCLUSION: MR cisternography proved to be an accurate diagnostic imaging technique in the evaluation of suspected CSF rhinorrhea.