Enlargement of Dorello's Canal as a Novel Radiographic Marker of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

• Published in: Journal of neurological surgery. Part B, Skull base Vol. 81; no. 3; pp. 232 - 236
• Main Authors: Eggerstedt, Michael, Dua, Sumeet G., Varelas, Antonios N., Bhabad, Sudeep H., Batra, Pete S., Tajudeen, Bobby A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stuttgart · New York Georg Thieme Verlag KG 01.06.2020
• Subjects: Original; Original Article; radiographic; Gruber's; empty sella; MRI; radiologic; pseudotumor; IIH; benign intracranial; skull base
• ISSN: 2193-6331; 2193-634X
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1688783

Abstract Objectives  The objective of this study is to compare the visibility and size of Dorello's canal (DC) on magnetic resonance imaging between patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and control patients, for its evaluation as a potential novel marker for chronic increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Design  Retrospective blinded case–control study. Setting  Tertiary care academic center. Participants  Fourteen patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea and diagnosed IIH, as well as an equal number of age and gender-matched controls. Main Outcome Measures  Radiographic presence or absence of visible CSF sleeve within DC as well as CSF sleeve width when present. Results  Following review of 28 IIH canals and 28 control canals, IIH patients were significantly more likely to have a visible CSF sleeve within DC and to have a wider measured medial entrance to DC ( p  < 0.001). Conclusion  Identification of CSF evagination into DC may serve as a reliable marker for increased ICP in the IIH population. This finding should be considered in the future as paradigms for diagnosis of IIH continue to evolve.