Clinical question: Evaluate for structural abnormality, particularly Arnold Chiari malformationSigns and Symptoms: Headache and transient episodes of confusionComments: Sedation as standby. Patient believes he can undergo the study. | The CSF spaces are appropriate for the patient's stated age with no midline shift. The tips of the cerebellar tonsils extend approximately 1 mm below the level of the foramen magnum.No abnormal mass lesions are appreciated intracranially. No intracranial hemorrhage is identified. No edema is identified within the brain parenchyma.Normal vascular flow voids are present in the distal carotid and vertebral arteries, the basilar artery and the proximal anterior, middle and posterior cerebral arteries as well as the internal cerebral veins and superior sagittal sinus.The visualized portions of the paranasal sinuses are clear. The visualized portions of the mastoid air cells are clear. The visualized portions of the orbits are intact.On the T2 axial images there is artifact centered within the pons. This is not present on any other other pulse sequences.
MRI of the brain is within normal limits. Some artifact partially obscures the pons on one of the pulse sequences.