This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Investigations

Authoring team

A minimal series of investigations in hydrocephalus includes:

  • skull X ray:
    • assess skull size, suture diastasis; may be obvious in infants
    • look for evidence of chronic raised pressure - erosion of the posterior clinoids
    • look for associated defects - e.g. basilar invagination

  • CT scan including contrast - reveals pattern of ventricular enlargement and, frequently, the site and cause of obstruction:
    • generalised dilatation - suggests communicating hydrocephalus
    • lateral and 3rd ventricles dilated:
      • 4th ventricle normal - suggests aqueduct stenosis
      • 4th ventricle absent or deviated - suggests a posterior fossa mass

  • ultrasonography through the anterior fontanelle in infants - demonstrates ventricular enlargement but is less informative than CT

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.