• Aintzane Urbizu, Maria-Antonia Poca, Xavier Vidal, Alex Rovira, Juan Sahuquillo, and Alfons Macaya.
• Pediatric Neurology Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
• J Neuroimaging. 2014 May 1;24(3):250-6.

Background And PurposeThe diagnosis of Chiari malformation type I (CMI) relies on MRI identification of a tonsillar descent (TD) through the foramen magnum, reflecting the overcrowding of an underdeveloped posterior cranial fossa (PCF). However, TD occurs in some patients with normal-sized PCF and, conversely, some patients with borderline or no TD have small PCF. We thus sought to identify a set of prototypic PCF measures for the diagnosis of CMI.MethodsWe performed nineteen measurements of the PCF on sagittal MRI of 100 cases with cerebellar TD ≥5 mm and 50 control individuals, compared the average values in both cohorts and used logistic regression to devise a probability model to predict CMI status.ResultsSignificant decrements were detected for several PCF-related measures in the patients' cohort. We developed a probability model that combined seven of these parameters to predict diagnosis with 93% sensitivity and 92% specificity.ConclusionsThe addition of simple morphometric measurements in the diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected CMI may facilitate radiological diagnosis. Moreover, identification of the subset of CMI that arise from basichondrocranium underdevelopment is important for both, selection of the most appropriate therapeutic approach as well as proper CMI categorization in research studies.Copyright © 2013 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

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