Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum Diagnosed During Life

THE INTRODUCTION of pneumoencephalography and ventriculography by Dandy1provided diagnostic tools for the demonstration and localization of intracranial pathology without equal in neurology, though many neurologists and neurosurgeons feel their position is currently challenged by cerebral angiography.2Although originally conceived as aids to the diagnosis and localization of intracranial neoplasms, a purpose nobly fulfilled, these methods have made possible the detection of numerous other intracranial conditions previously diagnosed only at operation or autopsy. The latter situation pertained particularly to the diagnosis of agenesis of the corpus callosum. In 1922 Mingazzini3summarized the clinicopathologic literature of agenesis of the corpus callosum and found 71 cases, in 43 of which the agenesis was complete; Baker and Graves,4in 1933, found a total of 82 cases and added 1 of their own. In none of these cases was the diagnosis made during life. As far as can be determined,