How to Diagnose Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which a patient's brain contains excessive fluid, presenting either congenitally or at any point after birth into adulthood. In normal cases, cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and remains in the cranium. With hydrocephalus, the fluid leaks into the brain's dilated areas and compresses the brain, causing a loss of brain function in babies. Physicians diagnose hydrocephalus using the following criteria.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Measure the baby's head circumference. Hydrocephalus causes an abnormally large head or a rapid growth in head size in babies.
2. Note in babies a delay in head control or cognitive development. Other signs are irritability, breathing difficulties or eyeballs that can't move. In cases where older children or adults develop hydrocephalus, note symptoms such as headache, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting or difficulty walking.
3. Conduct an ultrasound to diagnose before birth. Hydrocephalus also occurs with other congenital defects or genetic disorders, so routine ultrasounds help determine a course of action for post-natal care.
4. Do a CT scan of the patient's brain, which shows where the excess fluid lies in the brain's dilated spaces. This is the quickest method of diagnosing the presence of hydrocephalus but does not always reveal the cause.
5. Perform an MRI scan, which is a longer procedure than a CT. It is more helpful in determining the cause and in finding other brain abnormalities.
6. Use intracranial pressure monitoring. This monitoring is done through a small opening in the skull. This procedure also allows a doctor to drain excess fluid, which may cause symptoms to improve depending on the cause.
7. Diagnose the type of hydrocephalus based on a full neurological exam and radiologist's reports. In some cases, a patient may need more tests to determine the underlying cause of hydrocephalus.

Tips & Warnings

• In babies, causes of hydrocephalus include spinal cord birth defects, genetic, aqueductal stenosis which is a blockage in the brain fluid's pathway or a brain malformation called Chiari Type 1.
• In older children or adults, causes of hydrocephalus include brain or spinal cord tumors, bleeding or infection in the brain, or a tuberculosis infection in the brain.
• A CT scan involves a minimal amount of radiation, which may be harmful to infants and very young children.