Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging: A New Tool in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Abnormalities of the Vein of Galen in Children

We retrospectively identified 9 consecutive children, 3 males and 6 females (age 5.2 +/- 6.3 years, range 1 day to 18 years), with known or suspected AVGs who underwent MR imaging, including SW), at our institution between January 2007 and March 2011 On the SW) sequence, arterialized blood flow was considered to be present in the vein of Galen or its tributaries when these showed abnormal signal hyperintensity from arteriovenous shunting. SW) findings were correlated with findings from DSA studies or findings from time-of-flight or contrast-enhanced MR angiography sequences. SW) was found to accurately differentiate between high-flow and low-flow AVGs and was also useful in characterizing the arterial supply and venous drainage pat:erns associated with high-flow AVGs.