Assessment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Patterns Using Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse Sequence in a Dog With Chiari-Like Malformation and Syringomyelia.

A 5-year-old toy poodle was referred for progressive non-ambulatory tetraparesis caused by cervicothoracic syringomyelia associated with Chiari-like malformation. At presentation, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow pattern was atypical on time-spatial labeling inversion pulse images with evidence of greater volume flow through the mesencephalic aqueduct and atypical to-and-fro flow in the fourth ventricle and into the syrinx. In this dog, the definition of CSF flow pattern using this imaging technique before surgery aided in classifying pathogenesis and suggested the utility of ventriculoperitoneal shunting, which normalized CSF flow and resulted in a good clinical outcome.