Diagnosis of Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea Using Thin-Slice Computed Tomographic Images With Multiplanar Reconstruction and Three-Dimensional Virtual View Endoscopy

Abstract

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea represents an important clinical entity, which is associated with elevated intracranial pressure and is rarely treated successfully without surgical intervention. Here we report a case of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea. The patient was a 54-year-old male, who presented with bacterial meningitis and was referred to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology for a detailed examination of the nose and sinuses. Reconstructed thin-slice computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple fistulae on the clivus. The defect was successfully repaired by transnasal endoscopic surgery, with the assistance of virtual endoscopic images, which were created by the surgical planning and navigation system from thin-slice CT images. This incremental improvement in the imaging technique helped with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of CSF rhinorrhea.