Demonstration of Cephaloceles in Patients with Rhinorrhea: Single Center Experience of Intrathecal Gadolinium Enhanced MR Cisternography

Background: Magnetic resonance (MR) cisternography has the crucial role for diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage in patients with rhinorrhea and otorrhea. Trauma is the major cause of rhinorrhea. Cephalocele is diagnosed in some rhinorrhea patients. Objectives: To evaluate the CSF leakage in patients with rhinorrhea and assess the frequency of cephalocele in the etiology of rhinorrhea. Patients and Methods: Intrathecal gadolinium enhanced MR cisternography and nonenhanced CT of paranasal sinus images of patients with suspected CSF rhinorrhea between October 2012 and September 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-one patients with the diagnosis of contrast leakage causing rhinorrhea were included in the study. All patients had intrathecal gadolinium enhanced MR cisternography. Three dimensional (3D)-T1 weighted and 3D-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) head MRI was obtained after administration of 1 ml intrathecal gadoterate meglumine after half, 3, and 8 hours. Locations of contrast leakage and etiologies were analyzed. Results: Patient group consisted of 21 patients with persistent or intermittent rhinorrhea. CT imaging showed bone defect in all patients. Intrathecal gadolinium enhanced MR cisternography revealed CSF leakage (10 ethmoid, 10 sphenoid, and 1 frontal). Cephalocele was detected in 10 of 21 patients. Conclusion: MR cisternography with intrathecal gadolinium enhancement is an effective and safe imaging modality compared to other techniques used for diagnosis of CSF leakage. Accurate localization of CSF fistula and demonstration of herniating content from cranial bone defect is feasible with this technique.