Effects of Free-Breathing on Cerebral Veins: study by Real-Time Phase-Contrast MRI

Real-time phase-contrast sequences are increasingly used to study the effect of breathing on cerebral circulation, however, there is a lack of studies on the effect of free breathing (E-Fb) on cerebral veins. In this study, we quantified the intensity and phase shift of the E-Fb on cerebral veins in 19 healthy volunteers using a time-domain multiparameter analysis method. We analyzed the characteristics of the E-Fb on four parameters of four cerebral veins. We found that during expiration, the mean flow rate, amplitude, stroke volume, and cardiac period of internal jugulars veins and sinuses increased.