Measurement of the intracranial buffering capacity of the cerebrospinal fluid system

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics is used in the management of neurological conditions associated with intracranial hypertension. An extension of this is the measurement of the system pressure-volume index (PVI) which is intended to provide an indication of the intracranial buffering capacity, used in predicting the change in ICP when the craniospinal system is subject to further volume increments. Alternative means of identifying the intracranial buffering capacity involve the determination of the system compliance (C) or the volume-pressure response (VPR). Here, the authors contrast these measurements in the case of controlled intracranial mass expansion and, further, relate the determination of brain tissue response derived from these measurements to a more direct method of measuring brain tissue properties.