Quantification of cerebral circulation and shunt volume in a tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula using two-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

Venous hypertension is closely related to poor outcome of a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). However, no direct measurements have been made of the shunt flow and impaired venous drainage that are suggestive of venous hypertension. We present a case of a 35-year-old man who presented with cerebral hemorrhage and underwent coil embolization for tentorial DAVF. Two-dimensional (2D) phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate temporal changes in the flow volumes of the shunt and venous drainage between before and after embolization. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using 2D phase-contrast MRI to measure the shunt volume of a DAVF, which might be useful for assessing the improvement in cerebral circulation after embolization treatment.