Is foramen magnum decompression for acquired Chiari I malformation like putting a finger in the dyke? - A simplistic overview of artificial intelligence in assessing critical upstream and downstream etiologies
Authors: Manjila Sunil , Alsalama Abdulrhman Ahmad , Medani Khalid , Patel Shlok , Prabhune Anagha , Ramachandran Sreehari N. , Mani Sudhan 
Published: May 2024

Background:

Missed diagnosis of evolving or coexisting idiopathic (IIH) and spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is often the reason for persistent or worsening symptoms after foramen magnum decompression for Chiari malformation (CM) I. We explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI)/convolutional neural networks (CNN) in Chiari I malformation in a combinatorial role for the first time in literature, exploring both upstream and downstream magnetic resonance findings as initial screening profilers in CM-1. We have also put together a review of all existing subtypes of CM and discuss the role of upright (gravity-aided) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating equivocal tonsillar descent on a lying-down MRI. We have formulated a workflow algorithm MaChiP 1.0 (Manjila Chiari Protocol 1.0) using upstream and downstream profilers, that cause de novo or worsening Chiari I malformation, which we plan to implement using AI.

Materials and Methods:

The PRISMA guidelines were used for “CM and machine learning and CNN” on PubMed database articles, and four articles specific to the topic were encountered. The radiologic criteria for IIH and SIH were applied from neurosurgical literature, and they were applied between primary and secondary (acquired) Chiari I malformations. An upstream etiology such as IIH or SIH and an isolated downstream etiology in the spine were characterized using the existing body of literature. We propose the utility of using four selected criteria for IIH and SIH each, over MRI T2 images of the brain and spine, predominantly sagittal sequences in upstream etiology in the brain and multiplanar MRI in spinal lesions.

Results:

Using MaChiP 1.0 (patent/ copyright pending) concepts, we have proposed the upstream and downstream profilers implicated in progressive Chiari I malformation. The upstream profilers included findings of brain sagging, slope of the third ventricular floor, pontomesencephalic angle, mamillopontine distance, lateral ventricular angle, internal cerebral vein–vein of Galen angle, and displacement of iter, clivus length, tonsillar descent, etc., suggestive of SIH. The IIH features noted in upstream pathologies were posterior flattening of globe of the eye, partial empty sella, optic nerve sheath distortion, and optic nerve tortuosity in MRI. The downstream etiologies involved spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from dural tear, meningeal diverticula, CSF-venous fistulae, etc.

Conclusion:

AI would help offer predictive analysis along the spectrum of upstream and downstream etiologies, ensuring safety and efficacy in treating secondary (acquired) Chiari I malformation, especially with coexisting IIH and SIH. The MaChiP 1.0 algorithm can help document worsening of a previously diagnosed CM-1 and find the exact etiology of a secondary CM-I. However, the role of posterior fossa morphometry and cine-flow MRI data for intracranial CSF flow dynamics, along with advanced spinal CSF studies using dynamic myelo-CT scanning in the formation of secondary CM-I is still being evaluated.