Upright versus supine MRI: effects of body position on craniocervical CSF flow.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation between the brain and spinal canal, as part of the glymphatic system, provides homeostatic support to brain functions and waste clearance. Recently, it has been observed that CSF flow is strongly driven by cardiovascular brain pulsation, and affected by body orientation. The advancement of MRI has allowed for non-invasive examination of the CSF hydrodynamic properties.

The possible role of cranio-cervical trauma and abnormal CSF hydrodynamics in the genesis of multiple sclerosis.

UPRIGHT Multi-Position MR scanning has uncovered a key set of new observations regarding Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which observations are likely to provide a new understanding of the origin of MS. The new findings may also lead to new forms of treatment for MS. The UPRIGHT MRI has demonstrated pronounced anatomic pathology of the cervical spine in five of the MS patients studied and definitive cervical pathology in the other three.

Upright, weight-bearing, dynamic-kinetic MRI of the spine: initial results.

The potential relative beneficial aspects of upright, weight-bearing (pMRI), dynamic-kinetic (kMRI) spinal imaging over that of recumbent MRI (rMRI) include the revelation of occult spinal disease dependent on true axial loading, the unmasking of kinetic-dependent spinal disease and the ability to scan the patient in the position of clinically relevant signs and symptoms. This imaging unit under study also demonstrated low claustrophobic potential and yielded comparatively high resolution images with little motion/magnetic susceptibility/chemical shift artifact. Overall, it was found that rMRI underestimated the presence and maximum degree of gravity-dependent spinal pathology and missed altogether pathology of a dynamic nature, factors that are optimally revealed with p/kMRI.