The Possible Role of Cranio-Cervical Trauma
and Abnormal CSF Hydrodynamics
in the Genesis of Multiple Sclerosis
Raymond V. Damadian and David Chu
FONAR Corporation
110 Marcus Drive, Melville, NY 11747
E-mail: rvdamadian@fonar.com
Abstract: UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MR scanning has uncovered a key set of new observations
regarding Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which observations are likely to provide a new understanding
of the origin of MS. The new findings may also lead to new forms of treatment for MS.
The UPRIGHT® MRI has demonstrated pronounced anatomic pathology of the cervical spine in
five of the MS patients studied and definitive cervical pathology in the other three. The pathology
was the result of prior head and neck trauma. All eight MS patients entered the study on a first come
first serve basis without priority, and all but one were found to have a history of serious prior cervical
trauma which resulted in significant cervical pathology. The cervical pathology was visualized
by UPRIGHT® MRI. Upright cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cinematography and quantitative measurements
of CSF velocity, CSF flow and CSF pressure gradients in the upright patient revealed that
significant obstructions to CSF flow were present in all MS patients. The obstructions are believed
to be responsible for CSF “leakages” of CSF from the ventricles into the surrounding brain
parenchyma which “leakages” can be the source of the MS lesions in the brain that give rise to MS
symptomatology. The CSF flow obstructions are believed to result in increases in intracranial pressure
(ICP) that generate “leakages” of the CSF into the surrounding brain parenchyma. In all but
one MS patient, anatomic pathologies were found to be more severe in the upright position than in
the recumbent position. Similarly, CSF flow abnormalities were found to be more severe in the upright
position than in the recumbent position in all but one MS patient. Images of the MS patient
anatomic pathologies and CSF flow abnormalities are provided with comparison images from normal
examinees in Figures 1–15.
KEY WORDS: Multiple Sclerosis, Cranio-Cervical Trauma, CSF Hydrodynamics, CSF Leaks,
Intracranial Pressure, CSF Peak Velocity, CSF Pressure Gradient, CSF Flow

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