Volume acquisition tools are generally not designed specifically for CSF. Instead, researchers and clinicians rely on anatomical imaging, such as high-resolution T1 and T2-weighted MRI scans suitable for anatomical imaging such as MPRAGE. The goals of CSF imaging are fundamentally different. For example, these series are designed for excellent gray matter and white matter contrast rather than CSF-to-parenchyma contrast.
Further, these and many other MRI sequences are designed with the expectation that a patient remains calm and still in the scanner for 5-10 minutes depending on specifics of the pulse sequence. This approach works well in adults, but unsedated children usually need some coaching to lie still (e.g., lie still like a statue so we can get clean pictures”). Because many patients with shunted hydrocephalus are children and because the standard of care for patients with treated hydrocephalus relies on routine surveillance of ventricle size, it is important to develop anatomical imaging sequences that maximize CSF-to-brain contrast in a very fast acquisition.