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Normal pressure hydrocephalus

Case contributed by Frank Gaillard
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Increasing falls, incontinence and ataxia.

Patient Data

Age: 75 years
Gender: Male
mri

Lateral ventricles are enlarged with an acute callosal angle and sulcal crowding at the vertex especially compared to large Sylvian fissures. Cerebral aqueduct is large in caliber with hyperdynamic flow.

On CSF flow studies the average stroke volume = 282 microliters, which is considerably elevated. 

Periventricular and scattered white matter T2/FLAIR hyperintensities, and patchy signal in the pons, suggestive of chronic small vessel ischemia.

Incidental punctate regions of abnormal diffusion restriction within the right frontal and temporal cortex, left occipital cortex, as well as the left anterior limb of the internal capsule, are in keeping with small embolic infarcts. No focal region of abnormal susceptibility.

Conclusion:

  1. Morphologic features are consistent with normal pressure hydrocephalus, in this appropriate clinical context.
  2. Multifocal punctate regions of abnormal diffusion restriction suggest tiny infarcts, presumably of central embolic origin given involvement of multiple territories.

Case Discussion

In this case, there appear to be two concurrent pathologies: underlying normal pressure hydrocephalus, which accounts for the protracted ataxia and incontinence, and small embolic infarcts. 

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