Enlarged ventricles in the child's head. Normal sizes of the ventricles of the brain in children. Normal NSG results and interpretation

On the first day of his life, the child undergoes a thorough examination and comprehensive examination by doctors. This is necessary in order to promptly identify all possible congenital pathologies and developmental defects that threaten the health of the baby.

Doctors pay special attention to the condition internal organs baby. Often after mandatory ultrasound examination A young mother is informed that the size of her baby’s cerebral ventricles is not normal. What does it mean? What prospects await a child with a similar diagnosis?

Structure of the ventricular system of the brain

The ventricular system is a capacitive structure of the brain. Its purpose is to synthesize and store cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid, called cerebrospinal fluid, is responsible for a number of functions in the body. It acts as a shock absorber, protecting the thinking organ from external damage, and helps stabilize intracranial pressure. Without cerebrospinal fluid, metabolic processes between the brain and blood cells would be impossible.

How is it presented in human body the structure responsible for the synthesis of this essential fluid? A table illustrating the normal four-cavity structure of the ventricular system of the brain in humans will help answer the question:

Normal ventricle sizes

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The volume of each ventricle directly determines how much cerebrospinal fluid is synthesized or stored in it. If the size of the structure exceeds normal, there is a risk of overproduction cerebrospinal fluid or the occurrence of problems with its removal, which cannot but lead to malfunctions in the functioning of the thinking organ.
What is the usual ventricular depth in newborns? According to the observations of neonatologists, normal values will be approximately as follows:

1st and 2nd ventricles - about 3 mm in the anterior and from 10 to 15 mm in the occipital horns, plus - no more than 4 mm in the lateral bodies;
3 ventricle – no more than 5 mm;
4th ventricle – no more than 4 mm.

Over time, as the newborn's brain begins to grow, its depth will gradually increase. internal cavities. If the expansion of the ventricles occurs sharply, and their proportions cease to be linearly consistent with the size of the skull, this is, as well as congenital abnormality from normal values, a reason to sound the alarm.
Causes of enlarged ventricles of the brain
Sometimes a slight discrepancy between the size of brain structures and normal values is genetically determined. This feature is already revealed when initial examination infant and, as a rule, is not considered pathological. At the same time, noticeable dilatation or asymmetry of the ventricles may be the result of a serious chromosomal abnormality that arose during the intrauterine development of the fetus.
Doctors have also identified a number of non-genetic factors that provoke the expansion of brain cavities. These include:
How does ventricular dilatation manifest?
What signs of ventricular dilatation and asymmetry lead doctors to suspect a problem? At pathological changes The following symptoms are observed in the structure of brain structures in newborns:
tearfulness (especially in the morning);
motor impairment;
painful reaction to light and sharp sounds;
frequent regurgitation;
strabismus.

In the long term, children with dilated ventricular cavities begin to significantly lag behind their peers in development, both physical and psycho-emotional. At serious pathologies violations become visible to the naked eye. The child’s head enlarges as with hydrocephalus, the cranial bones diverge, and the fontanel begins to protrude (we recommend reading:).
Consequences of pathology in children
Depending on the severity and location of the problem, the consequences of enlarged cerebral ventricles for the child also vary. As a rule, the pathology in question is completely harmless. The prospects for its development are unpleasant, but not fatal. Ventricular enlargement leads to increased concentration cerebrospinal fluid in the brain spaces, which increases the pressure on local nerve endings. As a result, complications arise such as:
defecation disorders;
problems with urination;
periodic failure of the senses (temporary blindness or deafness);
impaired coordination of movements;
delays in mental and physical development.

If the width of the ventricles deviates significantly from the norm in a larger direction, the consequences of the pathology can become critical. The brain is protected from external damage mainly by the bones of the skull. Their discrepancy, caused by a discrepancy in the size of the organs, increases the risk of injury (rupture of the ventricles themselves, the veins communicating with them, etc.).
The resulting hemorrhage can lead to:
epilepsy;
permanent loss of hearing or vision;
paralysis or coma;
instant death.

Diagnosis of pathology
In order to prevent the sad consequences described above, it is very important to detect deviations in a timely manner. Which modern means allow you to most accurately diagnose the pathology in question?
Usually, asymmetry or enlargement of the cerebral ventricles in an infant is detected at the very first routine ultrasound, which any child under one year old must undergo (we recommend reading:). To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe a number of additional examinations for the baby:
examination by an ophthalmologist;
MRI under general anesthesia;

Treatment methods
If the diagnostician suspects enlarged or asymmetric cerebral ventricles confirmed, the child receives a referral to a neurosurgeon or neurologist, who will develop an individual treatment regimen for his little patient. Usually, drug therapy methods are used to normalize the patient’s condition. For children with obvious neuropathological abnormalities, doctors recommend:
Diuretics. Accelerated removal of fluids from the body helps eliminate cerebral edema.
Vitamin and mineral complexes with high content potassium Due to frequent urination, the body loses a lot useful substances, the deficit of which must be compensated in a timely manner. In addition, regular intake of vitamins helps the patient recover faster.
Nootropic medications. Improved blood supply due to increased elasticity of blood vessels facilitates normal functioning brain structures.
Sedatives. Sedatives reduce the manifestation neurological symptoms illness (tearfulness, irritability, etc.).

For children suffering from the pathology in question in mild form, drug treatment shows excellent results. If the enlarged liquor spaces are the result of the mechanical injury heads, the problem takes on a completely different scope. It is usually impossible to solve it without the help of a qualified surgeon.
Predictions for a child
If small deviations in the size of the first and second lateral, as well as the third or fourth cerebral ventricles were detected in the baby immediately after birth, the prognosis for his recovery is quite favorable. In most cases, such anomalies are caused by features anatomical structure infants, so the problem goes away on its own with age. To guarantee a favorable outcome, parents need to register their child with a neurologist, who will closely monitor changes in the baby’s condition for the next few years and, if necessary, prescribe appropriate treatment.
For children whose pathology was identified at an older age, the prospects are not so rosy. The later the deviation is discovered, the higher the likelihood that, in the absence of observation and therapy, the disease has managed to contribute to the formation of various abnormalities in brain development, which is fraught with complications. Of course, such a diagnosis is not a death sentence. However, parents need to prepare themselves and their child for the inevitability of the upcoming long and complex treatment, and possibly to surgery.

There are a number anatomical features human brain. In some cases, some nuances of its structure that differ from the norm are considered physiological and do not require treatment.

However, certain deviations from the norm can cause the development of neurological pathologies. One such condition is asymmetry of the lateral ventricles of the brain. This disease may not cause clinical symptoms, but in some cases it indicates the presence of a number of diseases.

What are the ventricles of the brain, their role

The ventricles of the brain are strips of tissue necessary for the deposition of cerebrospinal fluid. External and internal factors may lead to their increase in volume. The lateral ventricles are the largest. These formations are involved in the formation of cerebrospinal fluid.

Asymmetry is a condition in which one or both cavities are enlarged to varying degrees.

Types of ventricles:

Lateral. The ventricles are the most voluminous, and they contain cerebrospinal fluid. They connect to the third ventricle via the interventricular foramina.
Third. Located between the visual tuberosities. Its walls are filled with gray matter.
Fourth. Located between the cerebellum and medulla oblongata.

Causes of dilatation

Enlargement or dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain occurs due to increased production of cerebrospinal fluid. This leads to the fact that it cannot be excreted normally.

This, in turn, leads to disruption of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This disease most often occurs in premature babies, but is observed in people of any age.

What causes the disorder in newborns?

This is how dilatation of the lateral ventricles looks schematically

Dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain in infants is often a sign, and can also be caused by a number of other reasons.

In newborns, asymmetry is caused by trauma or space-occupying lesions in the brain. Regardless possible reason, an urgent consultation with a neurosurgeon is required.

Mild asymmetry can be congenital pathology which does not cause symptoms. In this case, only constant monitoring is required so that the difference between the ventricles does not change.

The main causes of dilatation include:

viral and other diseases of a woman during pregnancy;
oxygen starvation of the fetus;
premature birth;
birth injuries;
malformations of the central nervous system.

Ventricular asymmetry can also result from hemorrhage. This pathology occurs due to compression of one of the ventricles by an additional volume of blood. Due to hemorrhage, the ventricles of the brain in an infant may be enlarged for the following reasons:

various maternal diseases, for example, type I diabetes or heart defects;
intrauterine infections;
a long time between the water breaking and the baby being born.

The most common cause of dilatation is hypoxia. Other causes account for less than 1% of cases. This leads to the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which, in turn,... This leads to expansion of the cavity of the lateral ventricles.

Risk zone for adult patients

A change in the size of the lateral ventricles leads to disruption of the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Asymmetry of the lateral ventricles of the brain in adults occurs for the following reasons:

difficulty in the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid;
excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid;
skull injuries;
vascular thrombosis.

Provoking diseases

The main disease causing this pathology, is hydrocephalus. It can interfere with the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. This leads to its accumulation in the lateral ventricles.

Excessive formation of cerebrospinal fluid is also observed with serious lesions of the central nervous system. Poor circulation is also associated with the formation of cysts, tumors and other neoplasms.

A common cause of hydrocephalus is a defect of the Sylvian aqueduct. If this defect was discovered during the prenatal period, termination of pregnancy is recommended. At the birth of a child, complex systematic treatment will be required.

Another reason is the aneurysm of the vein of Galev and. However, in children, the disease can be caused by rickets or due to the specific structure of the skull, so observation by a specialist is important if there is a predisposition to the disease.

Symptoms and diagnosis of the disorder

In adults, ventricular asymmetry rarely causes symptoms. However, in some cases, this anomaly can cause the following symptoms:

In addition to these symptoms, the picture of the disease can be supplemented by symptoms of diseases that caused ventricular asymmetry.

Such symptoms include cognitive impairment or sensory disturbances.

In infants, symptoms depend on the severity of the pathology. In addition to general discomfort, symptoms such as throwing back the head, regurgitation, increased head size and others may occur.

Symptoms of the pathology also include strabismus, refusal to breastfeeding, frequent crying, anxiety, tremors, decreased muscle tone.

However, quite often the pathology does not cause characteristic symptoms, and can only be identified after carrying out.

Health care

Dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain itself does not require treatment. It is prescribed only in the presence of symptoms characteristic of the pathology. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the disease that is causing the dilatation.

The following drugs are used to treat ventricular asymmetry:

diuretics;
anti-inflammatory drugs;
vasoactive drugs;
neuroprotectors
sedatives;
if the disease is caused by infections, antibacterial agents are prescribed.

If the pathology is caused by a cyst or tumor, their removal is required. If the patient's condition quickly deteriorates, an operation is performed to form a new connection of the ventricular system, which will bypass the anomaly.

Most often, ventricular dilatation occurs in infants. In the absence of timely and competent therapy, dilatation may persist and even worsen. With mild dilatation and the absence of obvious symptoms, the condition does not require special treatment. All that is required is constant monitoring of the size of the asymmetry, as well as general condition child.

In the event that the disease is caused by injury, violation intrauterine development, infection or tumor, requires constant monitoring of the patient, treatment of symptoms, and, if possible, elimination of the causes of the pathology.

The child is treated by a neurologist together with a neurosurgeon. To minimize the risk of complications, a child with this diagnosis should be constantly monitored by doctors. Most often, diuretics are prescribed for treatment, which promote the production of cerebrospinal fluid, which puts pressure on the lateral ventricles.

A massage is required, physiotherapy and other methods. Infants with this diagnosis are observed in outpatient setting. Treatment of the pathology may take several months.

Older children are treated depending on the cause of the pathology. An appointment is scheduled antimicrobials, if the cause of asymmetry is a brain infection. In this case, surgery is prescribed.

Mild pathology most often does not cause any symptoms. In rare cases, a slight delay in the motor sphere may occur, but this also goes away completely over time. A severe form of pathology can result in high intracranial pressure.

Asymmetry of the lateral ventricles of the brain is not the most dangerous, but it requires attention pathology that occurs in people of any age.

If this problem is detected, you should visit an experienced specialist who will prescribe the appropriate tests to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment consists of eliminating the cause of dilatation, as well as reducing intracranial pressure.

Before answering the question why the ventricles of a child’s brain are enlarged, you should have an idea of what these ventricles are.
The cerebral ventricles are the whole system, interconnected cavities in the brain, necessary for the deposition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

What are they?

Lateral ventricles. They are the same containers in the brain intended for depositing cerebrospinal fluid. In size, the lateral ventricles are superior to all others. The ventricle located on the left side is designated as the first, and the one located on the right is designated the second. Both lateral ventricles communicate with the third ventricle using special (Monroy) foramina. The location of these ventricles is on the lateral sides, slightly below the corpus callosum. The lateral ventricles contain the anterior, posterior, inferior horns and body.

Fourth ventricle. Is very important education brain, and is located between the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum. In terms of its structure, the fourth ventricle looks like a rhombus, but many associate its shape with the shape of a tent with a roof and bottom. The very bottom of the fourth ventricle has a diamond shape, which is why it is called the rhomboid fossa. This anatomical formation contains the spinal canal, as well as the canal connecting the fourth ventricle with the aqueduct.

In addition to the storage function, the cerebral ventricles also perform a formative function, namely the formation of cerebrospinal fluid. Normally, the synthesized cerebrospinal fluid should exit into the subarachnoid space, but there are situations when this process fails. If the body's normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles is disrupted, the condition is called hydrocephalus.

What does ventricular dilatation mean in a child?

You should not always panic if such a condition occurs. An increase in the size of the ventricles of the brain in a child does not always signal the presence of a pathological process. This process may be physiologically determined, and it only means that the child simply has a large head size. Enlargement of the ventricles of the brain is not uncommon in children under the first year of life. In this case, it is imperative to establish the sizes of not only all ventricles, but also the remaining liquor systems.
Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid is the basis of why the ventricles of the brain may be enlarged in an infant or child early age. Disruption of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid can be caused by a certain obstacle in the way of its exit.

A condition such as enlargement of the ventricles of the brain in a child is most often observed in children born ahead of schedule. This is due to the fact that in such children the sizes of the lateral ventricles are comparatively larger than in children born according to their term. If there is a suspicion of enlargement or asymmetry of the lateral ventricles, it is necessary to measure them and determine their qualitative characteristics. Let us consider in more detail the conditions in which an increase in the size of the ventricles of the brain in children is possible.

Ventriculomegaly

This pathology means an enlargement of the cavities of the cerebral ventricles, as a result of which a number of disorders of the functions of the central nervous system develop. Most often, this pathology affects the lateral ventricles of the brain.

Types of ventriculomegaly

According to severity, this disease can be divided into severe, moderate and light form. Depending on the location of the pathological process, ventriculomegaly is divided into the following types:

Side shape. With this form, the lateral and posterior ventricle enlarges.
Type No. 4. Affects the area of the cerebellum and medulla oblongata.
Type No. 3. Pathological process localized in the area between the visual hillocks and the frontal part.

Why does it occur

The main reason for the development of this process is chromosome abnormalities in the body of a pregnant woman. Secondary causes of the development of the disease include all kinds of infections.

Main symptoms

Such complex pathology may cause the child to develop Turner and Down syndromes. Moreover, ventriculomegaly affects the structure of the brain and heart.

Diagnostics

Pathological enlargement of the ventricles of the brain is determined using ultrasound diagnostics of the brain.

Treatment

The key point in the treatment of this pathology is the maximum prevention of the development possible complications from organs and systems. First of all, it is carried out drug therapy which includes taking diuretics, vitamin preparations and antihypoxants. TO additional methods includes massage and special therapeutic exercises. To prevent the development of serious neurological complications, it is recommended to take drugs that retain potassium ions in the child’s body.

One more cannot be ruled out. possible variant pathology in which the ventricles of the brain in an infant will be dilated, namely hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome (HHS).

What is

This syndrome refers to a condition characterized by excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid, which tends to accumulate under the membranes of the brain and in its ventricles. In terms of frequency of occurrence, hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome is a rather rare pathology and requires serious justification.

What is it like?

This pathology is classified according to the age of the children, and the HGS of newborn children and older children are distinguished.

Why does it occur

All causes of the appearance of HGS can be divided into congenital and acquired. TO congenital reasons can be attributed:

Complicated course of pregnancy followed by complicated childbirth.
Damage to a child's brain due to intrauterine oxygen starvation, developmental defects and birth trauma.
Childbirth before the due date.
Intrapartum trauma followed by hemorrhage into the subarachnoid space.
Any intrauterine infections.
Anomalies of brain development.
Late birth.
A long period of time between the rupture of amniotic fluid and the expulsion of the fetus.
Some chronic diseases mother.

Acquired causes of HGS include:

Any tumor formations brain (cysts, hematomas, abscesses).
Availability foreign body in the brain.
Fractures of the cranial bones with subsequent penetration of bone particles into the brain.
Infectious diseases.
Unknown cause of HGS.

How does the disease manifest itself?

At the core of everything clinical picture Hypertension-hydrocephalic syndrome is based on the following factors:

Increased intracranial pressure (hypertension).
An increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain (hydrocephalus).

In newborns, HGS can be suspected by a number of the following signs:

The child refuses breastfeeding, cries and is capricious for no particular reason.
Overall muscle tone decreases.
Shaking (tremor) of the upper lower limbs.
All sharply reduced innate reflexes, such as swallowing and grasping.
There is frequent regurgitation.
Strabismus develops.
During medical examination the child may have a symptom rising sun when the child’s iris is half covered by the lower eyelid.
There is a divergence of the cranial sutures, in particular the sagittal one.
The fontanelles are tense and bulging.
Every month there is a pathological increase in head circumference.
During fundus examination, swelling of the optic discs is clearly visible.

In older children, the manifestation of symptoms of HGS develops immediately after the infectious process or traumatic brain injury.
Most characteristic feature enlargement of the ventricles of the brain in a child and the development of the central nervous system, is the appearance of headache, which most often appears in morning time days. Also characteristic constant nausea and vomiting. The headache is of a pressing or bursting nature, and is localized in the temples or forehead.

Often such children complain about the inability to raise their eyes up and at the same time lower their heads down. Cases of dizziness are also common. During characteristic attacks, the child’s skin becomes pale and general weakness and reluctance to do anything. Loud sounds and bright light are strong irritants for such children.

Because of increased tone in the muscles of the lower extremities, such children can walk on their toes, they develop strabismus, it is noted increased drowsiness and slowing of psychomotor development.

How to diagnose

In general, carry out accurate diagnosis hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome, and it is quite difficult to understand whether the ventricle of the brain is really enlarged in a newborn. Not always, even the most latest methods diagnostics allow us to diagnose this diagnosis with 100% accuracy. In children in the neonatal period, the main diagnostic criteria are indicators of head circumference and control of reflexes. To others diagnostic measures can be attributed:

Condition assessment vascular network fundus for swelling, hemorrhage or spasm.
Carrying out neurosonography to determine the size of the ventricles of the brain.
MRI and computed tomography of the brain.
Lumbar puncture to determine cerebrospinal fluid pressure. This method is the most reliable.

Treatment Options

The treatment of this pathology should be carried out by a neuropathologist together with a neurosurgeon. Children with this syndrome should be under constant medical supervision to avoid possible complications and worsening of the condition. In newborns up to six months, enlargement of the ventricles of the brain and the HPA is treated on an outpatient basis. To the main therapeutic measures can be attributed:

Taking diuretics (diuretics), as well as medicines, reducing the production of cerebrospinal fluid (Diacarb).
Inclusion of nootropic drugs in therapy. This group drugs improves blood supply to the brain.
Taking sedatives.
Special gymnastics and massage.

Treatment of children infancy is long-lasting and serious. Sometimes this takes several months.

In older children, treatment of HGS is pathogenetic in nature, and the selection of therapy is carried out according to the cause that caused this syndrome. If the disease occurs after an infection, then the therapy must include the use of antibacterial or antiviral drugs.
If the cause of HGS was a traumatic brain injury or tumor process, then surgical intervention cannot be ruled out.

Possible complications

A condition such as hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome can cause a number of complications from various organs and systems. Such complications include:

Delayed psychomotor development.
Complete or partial blindness.
Persistent hearing impairment up to deafness.
Development of coma.
Complete or partial paralysis.
Abnormal bulging of the fontanel.
Development of epilepsy attacks.
Incontinence of feces and urine.
Fatal outcome.

The prognosis for children during infancy is considered to be most favorable. This is related to periodic increase arterial and intracranial pressure, which returns to normal with age. For older children, the prognosis is less favorable, and depends solely on the cause that led to the development of HGS, as well as the approach to treatment.

The system of anastomizing cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid is called the ventricles of the brain. They communicate with the subarachnoid space of the canal spinal cord. Ependyma is the surface inside the walls of the ventricles.

Distinguish the following types ventricles: lateral, third, fourth. Under corpus callosum The lateral ventricles, which contain cerebrospinal fluid, are located. The third cerebral ventricle is located between the visual thalamus. This ventricle is filled with gray brain fluid. The vegetative centers of the body are located in it. And the fourth ventricle is located between the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum.

Large sizes and C-shape have cerebral ventricles. The synthesis of cerebrospinal fluid takes place in their system. If the outflow of such fluid from the ventricles is impaired or altered, then hydrocephalus is diagnosed. This disease is diagnosed most often in newborns. This disease is characterized by a significant increase in the size of the lateral ventricles of the brain, because cerebrospinal fluid has accumulated in them. Medical research is carried out using resonant magnetic and computed tomography to detect any changes in brain function. Based on the results of such studies, it is possible to timely identify the disease and prescribe necessary treatment.

Many people want to know the size of the lateral ventricles. The norm is established only after receiving the results of an ultrasound examination of the brain. And they do ultrasound on newborns through the fontanelles. This is such a small area between the bones of the skull with a thin membrane-like structure. There are several fontanelles on the baby's head; they are necessary so that during childbirth, the baby's head can adapt to birth canal. So after birth normal child all fontanelles close. Through one who remained and carried out the necessary research. It is worth noting that such an event does not require any preparation; it can be carried out when the baby is sleeping or awake, because the results will not change in any way.

All study indicators mainly depend on at what stage of pregnancy the child was born and whether there were any difficulties during childbirth. The lateral ventricles of the brain have certain regulatory criteria. The norm for children who are one month old should correspond to the indicator - up to 5 mm in size.

According to doctors, it is necessary that the width of the subarachnoid space be from 1.5 to 3 mm. If the fontanel is closed or the indicators deviate significantly, then an MRI study is prescribed. You need to know that such a study will be carried out under general anesthesia.

In children just born, the depth of the anterior horn lateral ventricle should be from 1 to 2 mm, and the depth of the body of the ventricle should be 4 mm, the size of the third ventricle should usually be from 2 to 4 mm. In addition, symmetry of brain structures is observed; the choroid plexuses should normally be hyperechoic and homogeneous.

It should be noted that the interpretation of the ultrasound should be performed by a specialist not performing the procedure, only by a pediatric neurologist. Only he will prescribe the necessary treatment and explain in detail about the disease. The doctor studies the results of medical tests and also compares them with the symptoms. For example, correction of the size of the ventricle can be carried out without special drug intervention, if all ultrasound parameters do not exceed normal indicators, but one of the ventricles of the brain is slightly enlarged.

The main sign of hydrocephalus is an enlargement of the lateral ventricles of the brain in a child. This disease is known as dropsy of the brain. You can also determine the extent of this disease with the naked eye. This can cause the size of the frontal part and head to increase and the fontanelles to bulge. In many cases, the disease occurs due to intrauterine infections, fetal malformations and hemorrhages. During this disease, cerebrospinal fluid cannot penetrate the system, so it collects in the ventricles of the brain. This may be caused by the fact that there is some kind of congestion in the head, and it affects the activity of the cerebrospinal fluid system.

This disease requires constant research and compulsory treatment. Symptoms of the disease are constant headache in a child, retardation in physical and mental development, rapid fatigue during games. This comes down to the fact that hydrocephalus affects the activity of the lateral ventricles of the brain and also increases intracranial pressure.

In conclusion, it should be noted that if your baby has abnormal brain function, you should always consult a pediatric neurologist. The doctor will prescribe a timely professional treatment and will give advice on vaccinations.

21.08.2013

The ventricles are an important anatomical structure of the brain. These are peculiar voids,communicating with each other, lined with ependyma. IN During the process of ontogenesis, brain vesicles are formed from the cavity of the neural tube, which are then transformed into the ventricular system.The main function of this system is the production and circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Liquor protects the main sections nervous system from mechanical damage, supports normal level intracranial pressure, is involved in the delivery of useful substances from the circulating blood to neurons. All sections of the ventricular system (lateral, third and fourth) have special choroid plexuses that secrete cerebrospinal fluid. AND The ventricles of the brain are connected to each other by the subarachnoid space, which makes it possible to transport cerebral fluid from the lateral to the third, and then to the fourth section. The final stage of circulation is the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid through granulations arachnoid into the venous sinuses.

Lateral ventricles of the brain

They are located inside the cerebral hemispheres and are conventionally considered the first and second. Each of them consists of a central section and three horns. The central part is located in the parietal lobe, the anterior horn is localized in the frontal, the posterior - in the occipital, and the lower - in the temporal. The choroid plexus is distributed unevenly throughout their perimeter. For example, it is absent in the anterior and posterior horns, but begins directly in the central part and gradually descends into the lower horn. It is here that the choroid plexus has largest size, therefore this part of it is called a ball. Degenerative changes or a violation of the symmetrical arrangement most often affects the stroma of these tangles. Such pathologies are often visible on plain radiographs and are of particular importance for diagnosis. Through the interventricular foramina or foramina of Monroe, both ventricles are connected to the third.

Third ventricle of the brain

It is located in the diencephalon and connects the lateral and ventricles of the brainwith the fourth. Like the others, it has choroid plexuses, whichare localized along its roof,and filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

An important structure here is the hypothalamic groove, which, from an anatomical point of view, is the boundary between the subtubercular region and the visual thalamus.Connects the third and fourth ventricles water pipes . It is considered one of the identifying elements of the midbrain.

Fourth ventricle of the brain

Unpaired is on the border betweenmedulla oblongata, cerebellum and pons, its shape resembles a pyramid. Its bottom is called the diamond-shaped fossa, because, from an anatomical point of view, it is a diamond-shaped depression lined with a thin layer gray matter with a large number of depressions and tubercles. The roof is formed by the upper and lower cerebral sails. It seems to hang over the diamond-shaped fossa. The choroid plexus, consisting of a medial section and two lateral ones,is relatively autonomous.It is attached to the lower lateral surfaces of the cavity and extends into its lateral inversions. Through the medial foramen of Magendie and the symmetrical lateral foramina of Luschka, the ventricular system communicates with the subarachnoid or subarachnoid space of the meninges.

Dilatation of the ventricles of the brain

Expansion of the ventricular system negatively affects the functioning of the nervous system. Assess the condition and identify whether it is enlarged or notventricles of the brain, allow diagnostic methods. Most often, a computer or more modern computer is used for this purpose.Magnetic resonance imaging . There are many reasons that cause expansion or asymmetry of the ventricular system. Most common:

Increased formation and secretion of cerebrospinal fluid, for example, with papilloma or inflammation of the choroid plexus.

Violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, for example, when the holes are blockedMagendie and Luschka (after inflammation of the meninges - meningitis), metabolic reactions after subarachnoid hemorrhage, venous thrombosis.

Presence in the cranial cavity volumetric neoplasms, such as a tumor, cyst, hematoma, abscess.

Regardless of the reason, there is general mechanism development of pathology. Initially, there is a delay in the outflow of cerebral fluid from the cavities of the ventricular system into the subarachnoid space. Therefore, they begin to expand, compressing the surrounding brain tissue. The main complication that develops due to primary blockade of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid most often becomeshydrocephalus of the brain . Typical patient complaints are attacks of sudden headaches, accompanying nausea, and sometimes vomiting, various disorders vegetative functions. Described clinical symptoms are associated with an acute increase in intraventricular pressure, which is characteristic of pathology of the liquor-conducting system.