Brain tissue volumes estimated from magnetic resonance scans in pediatric hydrocephalus

Brain tissue volumetry from MRI scans was performed on a group of 28 children with shunted hydrocephalus (SH) and 14 neurologically-normal (NN) children. In the SH group increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes were found in the posterior (postcallosal) and midline (pericallosal) regions in both hemispheres, but not anterior (precallosal) regions. There were corresponding reductions in both gray and white matter volumes in postcallosal and pericallosal regions. These results parallel animal studies showing that hydrocephalus is associated with loss of white matter and gray matter. The amount of loss is related to the degree of the motor and memory deficits commonly observed in children with hydrocephalus.