Abstract
Modification of periventricular hypodensity in suspected communicating hydrocephalus was investigated by metrizamide CT cisternography. Six to eight ml of metrizamide isotonic solution with a concentration of 170 mgI/ml was given through lumbar puncture and scanning was conducted 1, 3, 6, 24 and 48 hrs after injection. In addition to visual analysis of images, mean value and standard deviation were calculated for Hounsfield units of the regions of interest at the anterolateral angle of frontal horn and the time courses of the attenuation values were statistically compared to each other at each scanning time. The results were classified into four groups: 1) periventricular low density zone with gradual penetration of metrizamide therein; 2) periventricular low density zone without penetration of metrizamide therein; 3) minimal periventricular low density zone with minimal metrizamide penetration; and 4) no periventricular low density zone and no penetration of metrizamide (Fig.1).
The presence of a periventricular low density zone with increase of the density after ventricular reflux of metrizamide would be an important criterion for CSF shunting operation in normal pressure hydrocephalus or communicating hydrocephalus.
