Sectional anatomy of the brain ventricles in normal and hydrocephalic individuals

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate its related sectional anatomy of the brain ventricles using serial axial CT scans of both healthy controls and hydrocephalic patients at various age groups. The population sample included four controls and four hydrocephalic patients for each of three age groups; birth till puberty, adult and old age groups. The CT scans of the brain ventricles at different level were examined for both metric and non-metric features. In the healthy persons, Evans' calculation and the lateral ventricular ratios showed increased values of the healthy first and third age groups as compared with the second group indicating a relative increase in the volume of the ventricles. In the present CT scans of hydrocephalic brains, the first ventricle that showed expansion was the lateral ventricle. The present results revealed a sort of differential ventricular expansion specific sequence for each age group. In infantile hydrocephalus, the posterior horns were enlarged more than the anterior ones of the lateral ventricle; whereas, in adult and senile hydrocephalus, dilatation of the anterior and posterior horns were similar. Furthermore, dilatation of the third ventricle in CT brain scanning of hydrocephalic patients is indicative of the advanced stage of the disease and urgent surgical interference. However, fourth ventricular dilatation can be used to determine the type of hydrocephalus