Abstract:
Hydrocephalus is the term used for increased volume of cerebrospinal
fluid within the skull. The excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluids
results in an abnormal dilation of the ventricular system of the brain. The
dilation causes potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain.
There are two types of hydrocephalus: (1)
1. Communicating hydrocephalus, in which the cerebrospinal
fluid can flow freely from the ventricular system to the
subarachnoid space.
2. Non communicating hydrocephalus, occur when the
obstruction affects the passages of the cerebrospinal fluid.(2)
Hydrocephalus may be congenital or acquired. Congenital
hydrocephalus is present at birth and may be caused by either
environmental influences or genetic predisposition. Acquired
hydrocephalus can affect individuals of all ages and may be caused by
injury or disease. In infancy, the most obvious indication of hydrocephalus
is often the rapid increase in head size. In United States the common cause
is congenital and the infectious causes show low incidence, but in Al shaab
Teaching Hospital, the main cause is congenital and meningitis is the
second main cause. Hydrocephalus is diagnosed through clinical
neurological evaluation and using the radiological imaging techniques such
as: ultrasonography, computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance
2
imaging (MRI). Ultrasound (U/s) can detect hydrocephalus at early age
during intra-uterine life and its application is limited by the patient’s age
after birth. It is cheap and safe. The other modalities can not detect the
disease safely as ultrasound does. (3)
computerized tomography is used to evaluate the ventricular dilatation,
and to show the site of obstruction. It shows both brain tissue and
cerebrospinal fluid, but can not detect the nature of the etiological factor.
Moreover, it is hazardous due to x-rays, which has biological effects (4).
CT scan has higher resolution than U/s Which it’s commonly used to
investigate the condition under study.
