[Diagnosis of internal hydrocephalus using echoencephalography and computerized tomography of the brain]

Using computer tomography and echoencephalography 20 subjects with normal pattern of the lateral ventricles and 20 patients with dilatation of these ventricles were studied. The patients were hospitalized in the Neurology Department of the Vienna University. On CT scans the distance between the anterior horns and heads of the caudate nuclei, and cranial width were measured and appropriate indices were calculated. In Echo-EG the position of the temporal horn was established and the cerebral pallium index was calculated. It was found that different indices in CT examination differ in subjects with normal lateral ventricles and in patients with internal hydrocephalus. In cases of hydrocephalus the index of the caudate nucleus was greater and the index of the anterior horns was smaller. The per cent indices in these cases were higher than in subjects with normal ventricles. In the patients with hydrocephalus the index of cerebral pallium calculated from Echo-EG was greater than in subjects with normal ventricles. Both diagnostic methods are regarded as useful for evaluating internal hydrocephalus, especially since they are non-invasive.