Infantile hydrocephalus: brain sonography as an effective tool for diagnosis and follow-up.

Infantile hydrocephalus is a common disease. In most affected children the process starts before the age of 2 when the bregmatic fontanel is still open. Brain sonography has emerged as an effective tool in diagnosing progressive ventricle dilation and may be used for continuous follow-up. It gives such important information as: (a) cortical thickness, an expression of proper shunt function and of prognostic value concerning neuropsychological development; (b) position of the tip of the catheter, which is considered by some to be a predictive factor of shunt failure; (c) other complications such as subdural collections, isolated IV ventricle, and slit ventricles. This methodology permits frequent examinations and allows better comprehension of the pathological process by the parents and medical staff.