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Normotensive hydrocephalus. The relations of pneumoencephalography and isotope cisternography to the results of surgical treatment

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Summary

An attempt has been made to evaluate the prognostic value for surgery of some diagnostic findings in 15 patients with normotensive hydrocephalus. The results of CSF surgical shunting were considered in relation to the results of pneumoencephalography and isotope cisternography with I131 HSA. In addition, the data obtained by the estimation of the transfer of isotope labelled serum albumin from CSF to blood have been considered. Ten patients showed remarkable improvement following surgery, five did not.

From the results of the present study it appears that no one of these diagnostic investigations gives a reliable surgical prognosis which may, however, be obtainable by integrating the results of the different examinations. The following combination of findings appears highly suggestive of good surgical prognosis: ventricular enlargement and everted anterior medullary velum with no signs of cerebral atrophy in the pneumoencephalogram, plus ventricular filling in the isotope cisternographic scans. The additional finding of retention of the isotope labelled serum albumin may further strenghthen the prognostic information.

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Author notes

  1. G. F. Rossi

    Present address: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Rome

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Rome

    G. Galli, C. Di Rocco, G. Maira, M. Meglio & L. Troncone

  2. Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Catholic University, Rome

    G. F. Rossi, G. Galli, C. Di Rocco, G. Maira, M. Meglio & L. Troncone

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Rossi, G.F., Galli, G., Di Rocco, C. et al. Normotensive hydrocephalus. The relations of pneumoencephalography and isotope cisternography to the results of surgical treatment. Acta neurochir 30, 69–83 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405756

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