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.