背景和目的：腦脊髓液的流動與顱內液體的平衡有關，腦脊髓液流動的破壞而影響顱內液體的平衡在小兒與成人會導致不同的疾病。如果能對顱內腦脊髓液的流體動力學能有所了解，對小兒與成人顱內的生理與病理會有更深入的認識。方法：為了評估小兒與成人腦脊髓液的流量的正常值，並希望能做為提供神經疾病診斷的參考依據，我們以高解析相位對比磁振造影技術(phase-contrast MR imaging)，來分析比較小兒與成人腦脊髓液的流量的差異。高解析相位對比磁振造影技術，是利用流體波序的雙極梯度與相位對比波序，使流動的氫核的相角與速度成正比，進而分析小兒與成人腦內，在大腦導水管(aqueduct)處腦脊髓液的流量。本研究以峰值流量(peak flow)及淨搏動量(net stroke volume)做評估指標，共有20位小兒受試者(16位男性，4位女性，年齡從7個月至6歲之間)，每位受試者為臨床上是複雜性熱痙攣(complex febrile seizures) 的病人，但經醫學影像學檢查及最終臨床診斷無腦部異常者為研究對象；成人共有10 位健康受試者(5位男性，5位女性，年齡從23歲至56歲之間)。結果：正常小孩腦內在腦導水管處腦脊髓液的峰值流量從93.15 μl/s( 微升／秒)到382.4 μl/s不等，平均為200.02 ± 66.4 μl/s，而淨搏動量從1.8 μl/heartbeat(微升／每次心臟搏動)到29.3 μl/s，平均為15.07 ± 11.42μl/heartbeat；成人腦內在腦導水管處腦脊髓液的峰值流量從82.44到146.21 μl/s不等，平均為100.86 ± 18.13 μl/s，而淨搏動量從4 μl/heartbeat到5.82 μl/s，平均為5.09 ± 0.56 μl/heartbeat，兩者相比，發現小孩之腦脊髓液流量與淨搏動量平均值都比成人高出許多。結論：高解析相位對比磁振造影技術是一種方便、精準、非侵入性的技術，此技術除了有助瞭解人類腦脊髓液分泌機轉，以及腦部疾病與腦脊髓液的關係之外，更重要的，從本研究結果發現，對於高解析相位對比磁振造影技術的結果判讀，還必須把病人的年齡加以考慮。

Background and Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is known to mainly be involved in intracranial homeostatic balance. Disruption of CSF flow may cause distinctive diseases in children and adults. The aim of this study was to characterize CSF flow dynamics in children and adults. Methods: Enrollment criteria for children included (1) a diagnosis of complex febrile seizures, (2) no other neurologic diseases, (3) no cerebral pathology on a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, (4) no cerebrovascular risk factors, and (5) no use of anticonvulsive medications. Ten healthy adults exhibiting no clinical or radiological signs of CSF circulation pathologies were recruited for comparison. To quantify differences in CSF dynamics at the level of the cerebral aqueduct, twodimensional cine phase-contrast (2D cine PC)-MRI was conducted in each subject. CSF flow parameters, including the peak fl ow (μl/s) and net stroke volume (μl/heartbeat) were acquired with an automatic segmentation program that analyzes images, which were retrospectively retrieved from a data storage unit of the MRI instrument. Results: In the children’s group, 20 patients (16 males and 4 females, aged 7 months~6 years) were enrolled. Their mean CSF peak flow was 200.02 ± 66.64 μl/s, and the mean net stroke volume was 15.07 ± 17.42 μl/heartbeat. There were 10 normal adults (5 males and 5 females, aged 23~56 years) with a mean peak fl ow of 100.86 ± 18.13 μl/s and net stroke volume of 5.09 ± 0.56 μl/heartbeat. There were statistically significant differences in the average CSF peak flow and mean net stoke volume between the children’s and adult groups, but no statistical differences in gender, age, or heart rate were seen between these groups. In addition, there was no significant correlation of any parameters between the ≦ 2- and ＞ 2-year-old groups. Conclusions: Values of these flow parameters in children significantly differed from those in adults. Therefore, the age of a patient should be taken into consideration when interpreting these parameters.