External hydrocephalus in infants: six cases with MR venogram and flow quantification correlation

The cause of external hydrocephalus in infants is largely unknown. However, familial macrocephaly and delayed maturation of the arachnoid granulations are thought to play a part in the idiopathic cases. Secondary cases of external hydrocephalus are associated with hemorrhage, meningitis, and elevated venous pressure. Recently, elevated venous pressure has been shown to be a much more common cause of communicating hydrocephalus in children than previously thought. The purpose of this study is to investigate venous pressure as a cause of external hydrocephalus.

Six children with external hydrocephalus underwent an MRI examination including MR venography and MR flow quantification techniques. A chart review was performed to correlate the clinical findings with the MR findings. Six children with normal head circumferences and growth profile served as controls.

The net aqueduct flow in both normal and hydrocephalic children was into the ventricles. There was a spectrum of blood flow findings in the infants with hydrocephalus. (1) Those with normal arterial inflow showed venous outflow stenoses or anomalies. (2) Those with normal MR venograms tended to have elevated cerebral blood inflow.

The absorption of CSF in infants is into the capillary bed of the deep white matter rather than the arachnoid granulations. Absorption into a capillary bed depends on hydrostatic pressure. Similar to older children with communicating hydrocephalus, the infants in this cohort with external hydrocephalus showed evidence of an elevation in venous pressure. Elevated venous pressure may be a much more common cause of external hydrocephalus than previously recognized.