Abstract:
Aim: A prospective study aimed to suggest easy and
simple reproducible ventricular site that will be basic
measurement plane and normal dimension determined,
correlated to sizes of infants for comparative evaluation
of hydrocephalous infants and should be reproducible in
follow‑up. Materials and Methods: A prospective study done
in University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin, Nigeria. This
study used 50 consecutive infants with Ultrasound scan (US)
diagnosis of hydrocephalus and a control group of 50 US
normal from 1st January 2007 to 30th June 2008. The infants were
scan through the mid‑patent anterior fontanelle in sagittal, and
transverse planes with minor angulations to properly outline
the ventricles and the position of measurement determined at
the foramen of Monro of lateral ventricles and the diameter
measured. The infants’ weight, crown–heel length, and head
circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI)
calculated and correlated to lateral ventricular measurement.
Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS Inc, USA), Version 11.0. Results: There
was no statistically sex and age‑related difference. There
is statistically comparative high mean weight and height
and lower BMI in hydrocephalic infants as against the
control group (P < 0.001). The mean head circumference for
hydrocephalus was 45.6 (± 10.5 standard deviation [SD]),
whereas the control group was 35.9 (± 2.7 SD) with P < 0.001.
The mean diameter of the anterior horn of left and right lateral
ventricles at the level of foramen of Monro in hydrocephalic
subjects is 18.4 mm ± 14.3 mm and 20.1 mm ± 16.8 mm with
median diameter of 14.1 mm and 15.2 mm, respectively,
whereas control group is 2.5 mm ± 0.6 mm and 2.5 mm ± 0.7 mm
with median diameter of 2.5 mm and 2.4 mm, respectively.
Conclusion: Transfontanelle US was found highly useful in
investigation of hydrocephalous in infant.
