Computed tomography in the evaluation of incidence and significance of post-traumatic hydrocephalus.

Two hundred consecutive patients with severe head injury underwent sequential computed tomography (CT) on admission, after 4, 14, and 90 days, and after one year. Ventricular enlargement was evaluated in the surviving patients, based upon serial CT examinations. Significant ventricular enlargement was further evaluated with radionuclide cisternography. A significant correlation was shown between clinical outcome and presence or absence of ventricular enlargement. Radionuclide cisternography provided an additional means of determining those patients whose recovery was impaired by persistent obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid circulation and who would therefore benefit from cerebrospinal fluid shunting.