Susceptibility-Weighted MR Phase Imaging Can Demonstrate Retrograde Leptomeningeal Venous Drainage in Patients with Dural Arteriovenous Fistula

摘要

We read with special interest the article of Mittal et al1 entitled “Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging: Technical Aspects and Clinical Applications, Part 2.” The authors did a critical review of the most important clinical applications of susceptibility-weighted MR phase imaging (SWI). They emphasized the possible role of SWI for the evaluation of patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke, cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, vascular malformations, and so forth. They demonstrated the usefulness of SWI in patients with dural sinus thrombosis because it can demonstrate venous stasis and collateral slow flow. Regarding the vascular malformations, Mittal et al mentioned the advantages of SWI, because cavernous malformations, developmental venous angiomas, and capillary telangiectasias have slow flow and can be less conspicuous or even missed by conventional MR imaging techniques. However, the role of SWI in cases of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs), another potential clinical application of this sequence, was not discussed in this article.