Interthalamic Adhesion: Can it be used to Diagnose Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension?

• Published in: World neurosurgery Vol. 180; pp. e408 - e414
• Main Authors: Alpergin, Baran Can, Zaimoglu, Murat, Beger, Orhan, Kılınç, Mustafa Cemil, Mete, Emre Bahir, Hasimoglu, Siavash, Eroglu, Umit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Humans; Intracranial Hypertension; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Pseudotumor Cerebri - diagnostic imaging; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Thalamus - pathology; Young Adult; Massa intermedia; Interthalamic adhesion; Idiopathic intracranial hypertension; Pseuodotumor cerebri
• ISSN: 1878-8750; 1878-8769; 1878-8769
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.09.080

This retrospective study aimed at determining the dimension of the interthalamic adhesion (ITA) in patients with the idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) for assisting in preoperative radiologic diagnosis. The study universe consisted of magnetic resonance images of 20 patients with IIH (age: 22.70 ± 4.04 years, sex: 14 females and 6 males) and 20 normal subjects (age 22.30± 2.94 years, sex: 14 females and 6 males). To determine the morphology of ITA, its height (vertical diameter) and width (horizontal diameter) were measured on the coronal and axial planes, respectively. The height and width of ITA in IIH were measured as 2.58 ± 0.71 mm (range: 1.40-4.20 mm) and 2.73 ± 0.77 mm (range: 1.70-4.40 mm), respectively. Its height and width in controls were measured as 4.99 ± 1.04 mm (range: 2.70-6.30 mm) and 4.92 ± 1.11 mm (range: 2.60-6.50 mm), respectively. ITA height and width in IIH was significantly smaller compared with controls (P < 0.001). For an arbitrary cutoff of 3.85 mm, the sensitivity of the height of ITA was 85% with 95% specificity. For an arbitrary cutoff of 4.45 mm, the sensitivity of the width of ITA was 75% with 100% specificity. The height and width of ITA are approximately 50% smaller in IIH than controls; therefore alterations in the dimension of ITA may be a valuable radiologic sign for the diagnosis of IIH.