[CT in normal pressure hydrocephalus--correlation between CT and clinical response to shunting (author's transl)]

CT scans were obtained on 33 patients (age 73y. to 31y.) with the diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus. In each case, the diagnosis was made on the basis of the symptoms, CT and cisternographic findings. Underlying diseases of normal pressure hydrocephalus are ruptured aneurysms (21 cases), arteriovenous malformations (2 cases), head trauma (1 case), cerebrovascular accidents (1 case) and idiopathy (8 cases). Sixteen of 33 patients showed marked improvement, five, moderate or minimal improvement, and twelve, no change. The results were compared with CT findings and clinical response to shunting. CT findings were classified into five types, bases on the degree of periventricular hypodensity (P.V.H.), the extent of brain damage by underlying diseases, and the degree of cortical atrophy. In 17 cases of type (I), CT shows the presence of P.V.H. with or without minimal frontal lobe damage and no cortical atrophy. The good surgical improvements were achieved in all cases of type (I) by shunting. In 4 cases of type (II), CT shows the presence of P.V.H. and severe brain damage without cortical atrophy. The fair clinical improvements were achieved in 2 cases (50%) by shunting. In one case of type (III), CT shows the absence of P.V.H. without brain damage nor cortical atrophy. No clinical improvement was obtained by shunting in this type. In 9 cases of type (IV) with mild cortical atrophy, the fair clinical improvement was achieved in two cases (22%) and no improvement in 7 cases. In 2 cases of type (V) with moderate or marked cortical atrophy, no clinical improvement was obtained by shunting. In conclusion, it appeared from the present study that there was a good correlation between the result of shunting and the type of CT, and clinical response to shunting operation might be predicted by classification of CT findings.