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The most common cause of congenital hydrocephalus is aqueductal stenosis, which occurs when the narrow passage between the third and fourth ventricles in the brain is blocked or too narrow to allow sufficient cerebral spinal fluid to drain. Fluid accumulates in the upper ventricles, causing hydrocephalus. [16]
For the purposes of diagnosis aqueductal stenosis, a scan is performed on a patient's brain. Images showing an enlarged third ventricle along with a normally sized fourth ventricle (in a lateral view) is generally considered to be an indication of aqueductal stenosis, but this is still only presumption.
CT and MRI are most commonly used to observe the brain for cerebral atrophy. A CT scan takes cross sectional images of the brain using X-rays, while an MRI uses a magnetic field. With both measures, multiple images can be compared to see if there is a loss in brain volume over time. [20]
Imaging should also reveal the absence of any cerebral mass lesions or any signs of obstructions. Although all patients with NPH have enlarged ventricles, not all elderly patients with enlarged ventricles have primary NPH. Cerebral atrophy can cause enlarged ventricles, as well, and is referred to as hydrocephalus ex vacuo. For these reasons it ...
The lateral ventricles and the third ventricle are often enlarged, with rare instances of dilation of the fourth ventricle. [16] Other physical manifestations of CTE include anterior cavum septi pellucidi and posterior fenestrations , pallor of the substantia nigra and locus ceruleus , and atrophy of the olfactory bulbs , thalamus , mammillary ...
Hydrocephalus is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles or in the subarachnoid space over the brain. The increased pressure due to this condition dilates occipital horns causing colpocephaly. The most generally accepted theory is that of neuronal migration disorders occurring during the second to fifth months of fetal life.
Cerebrospinal fluid is produced by the choroid plexus in the ventricles of the brain and contained by the dura and arachnoid layers of the meninges. [23] [42] [64] The brain floats in CSF, which also transports nutrients to the brain and spinal cord. As holes form in the spinal dura mater, CSF leaks out into the surrounding space.
It also causes an overload of long-chain fatty acids in the brain, which destroy the myelin sheath. The cause of Alexander disease is a mutation in the gene encoding GFAP. [2] [7] [4] [5] [11] [10] [excessive citations] A CT scan shows: Decreased density of white matter; Frontal lobe predominance; Dilated lateral ventricles may present