Hydrocephalus: Ventricular Volume Quantification Using Three-Dimensional Brain CT Data and Semiautomatic Three-Dimensional Threshold-Based Segmentation Approach

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the ventricular volume percentage quantified using three-dimensional (3D) brain computed tomography (CT) data for interpreting serial changes in hydrocephalus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intracranial and ventricular volumes were quantified using the semiautomatic 3D threshold-based segmentation approach for 113 brain CT examinations (age at brain CT examination ≤ 18 years) in 38 patients with hydrocephalus. Changes in ventricular volume percentage were calculated using 75 serial brain CT pairs (time interval 173.6 ± 234.9 days) and compared with the conventional assessment of changes in hydrocephalus (increased, unchanged, or decreased). A cut-off value for the diagnosis of no change in hydrocephalus was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The reproducibility of the volumetric measurements was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient on a subset of 20 brain CT examinations. RESULTS: < 0.001). With a cut-off value of 2.4%, the diagnosis of unchanged hydrocephalus could be made with 83.0% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity. CONCLUSION: The ventricular volume percentage quantified using 3D brain CT data is useful for interpreting serial changes in hydrocephalus.