Abstract
Obstructive (noncommunicating) hydrocephalus is a complex disorder resulting from an obstacle impeding the cerebrospinal fluid pathways within the ventricular system. The radiological findings indicating the diagnosis of obstructive hydrocephalus as well as the clinical symptoms are described. The imaging methods used for the diagnosis of hydrocephalus and the follow-up after surgical treatment are discussed. This chapter reviews the variety of pathologies, which may lead to this disorder, including the typical obstruction sites at the level of foramen of Monro, cerebral aqueduct, fourth ventricular outlets, and foramen magnum. Particular conditions related to obstructive hydrocephalus such as intraventricular hemorrhage, giant mesencephalic dilated Virchow-Robin spaces, as well as acute obstructive hydrocephalus following decompression surgery of the craniovertebral junction are also presented. Since obstructive hydrocephalus may be a life-threatening condition, it is very important not only in the field of radiology but especially in clinical neuroradiology to be known and properly recognized.
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Abbreviations
- 3D:
-
Three-dimensional
- CISS:
-
Constructive interference in steady-state
- CNS:
-
Central nervous system
- CSF:
-
Cerebrospinal fluid
- DRIVE:
-
Driven equilibrium
- DWI:
-
Diffusion weighted imaging
- ETV:
-
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy
- FIESTA:
-
Fast-imaging employing steady-state acquisition
- FLAIR:
-
Fluid attenuation inversion recovery
- GCS:
-
Glasgow Coma Scale
- PC-MRI:
-
Phase-contrast MRI
- PD:
-
Proton density
- PICA:
-
Posterior inferior cerebellar artery
- SPACE:
-
Sampling perfection with application optimized contrast using different flip angle evolutions
- VRSs:
-
Virchow-Robin spaces
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Bladowska, J., Sąsiadek, M.J. (2019). Obstructive Hydrocephalus in Adults. In: Barkhof, F., Jager, R., Thurnher, M., Rovira Cañellas, A. (eds) Clinical Neuroradiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61423-6_10-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61423-6_10-1
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