Ultrasound examination allows you to study the work and structure of internal organs. With the help of wave reflection, the finished data is sent to the monitor. Ultrasound of the brain in infants is a mandatory procedure for a preventive examination. Thanks to the data obtained, it is possible to judge the structure of the brain and the functioning of the vascular system. The study is carried out quickly and painlessly, it does not pose any danger to the child.

NSG (neurosonography) allows you to determine violations in the functioning and structure of all brain structures, as well as evaluate the work of the central nervous system.

NSG is carried out through the fontanel, which is located between the unfused bones of the skull. Thanks to this, the result will be accurate and correct. The fontanel is soft to the touch, a pulsation is felt. Normally, it should be at the level of the surface of the head. Swelling indicates health problems.

The NSG procedure does not require additional preparation - it is enough to free the child's head from the cap. The result is not affected in any way by the condition of the child, even if he cries, is naughty or calmly studies the situation. The procedure is carried out even when the child is sleeping.

What is the reason for this study

Ultrasound is a mandatory planned procedure in one month. In other cases, indications for NSG before the first month of life are the following cases:

In one month, mandatory NSG is carried out in the following cases:

• children who were born by caesarean section;
• irregular head shape;
• conduct a study to monitor the condition;
• with such developmental disorders as torticollis, strabismus, paralysis;

For children older than one month, NSG is done according to the following indications:

• evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for injuries or neurological diseases of the brain;
• after infectious diseases (encephalitis, meningitis);
• genetic and gene disorders;
• head injury.

In some cases, an MRI of the brain is indicated, which is performed under anesthesia.

Interpretation of the results obtained during the survey

The results will depend on many factors - the term of delivery, birth weight. The norm for all children of different months of life is the following parameters.

1. All parts of the brain should be symmetrical in size and homogeneous in composition.
2. Furrows and convolutions have clear contours.
3. The absence of fluid in the interhemispheric fissure, and its dimensions do not exceed 3 mm.
4. The choroid plexuses of the ventricles are hyperechoic and homogeneous.
5. The size of the lateral ventricles is normal: anterior horns - up to 4 mm, occipital horns - 15 mm, body - up to 4 mm. Third and fourth ventricles - up to 4 mm.
6. The norm of a large tank is up to 10 mm.
7. There should be no seals, cysts and neoplasms.
8. Shells of the brain without changes.
9. The normal size of the subarachnoid space does not exceed 3 mm. If it is larger, while there is an increase in temperature and frequent regurgitation, then a disease such as meningitis can be suspected. If there are no concomitant symptoms, all other examinations are normal, perhaps this phenomenon is temporary.

The ventricular cavity should not be enlarged. Their increase indicates diseases such as hydrocephalus, rickets. During hydrocephalus, the child has a large head, a swollen fontanel. This violation causes frequent headaches, mental and physical underdevelopment.

The contents of the lateral ventricles (right and left) is cerebrospinal fluid. With the help of special openings, they are connected to the third ventricle. There is also a fourth ventricle, which is located between the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata.

In the lateral ventricles, the cerebrospinal fluid combines, after which it moves into the subarachnoid space. If such an outflow is disturbed for some reason, hydrocephalus occurs.

Asymmetry of the lateral ventricles (dilation) is observed in case of an increase in the amount of fluid. The disease can be diagnosed in children who were born prematurely, since the size of their lateral ventricles is larger.

If asymmetry of the lateral ventricles is detected on the NSG, the size is measured, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics are determined.

The main reasons due to which the ventricular cavity expands include hydrocephalus, trauma to the skull and brain, CNS lesions and other malformations of newborns.

A cyst of the septum pellucidum is usually detected from birth. The transparent septum is a thin plate, consisting of brain tissue. Between these plates is a cavity resembling a gap. A cyst of the transparent septum is a cavity inflamed with liquid. The cavity accumulates and begins to compress adjacent tissues and vessels.

A cyst of the transparent septum is found on the NSG in almost all premature babies. After a while, it may disappear. If a cyst of the transparent septum was detected immediately after birth, then in most cases no special drug therapy is prescribed.

In the event that a cyst of the transparent septum has arisen due to injury, inflammation or an infectious disease, immediate treatment is required. Associated symptoms (pain in the head, impaired vision and hearing) may occur.

During the NSG, which is carried out every month after the discovery of a violation, the dynamics of the development and growth of a cyst of the transparent septum is determined. Depending on the growth rate and the cause of the cyst, further treatment will depend. Basically, drugs are prescribed that release this cavity of the brain.

If any violations were found during the NSG, a decision on medical withdrawal of all vaccinations is possible. Vaccinations can worsen the condition, so after the examination, you need to visit a neurologist.

Deciphering and clarifying the diagnosis is carried out by a neurologist. Only he can prescribe the correct treatment and observe the development of the disease in dynamics. He will also prevent possible complications and prevent other violations.

In the first hours after birth, the child is under the supervision of neonatologists who monitor his physiological state and make the necessary examinations of the body. At the same time, health assessment is carried out in stages, starting from the first minute of life, and ends before discharge.

The most thorough examination is carried out on the first day and consists of a standard procedure for monitoring the activity and appearance of the newborn. If the doctor has suspicions of congenital malformations, then it is possible to use ultrasound, which makes it possible to identify deviations in the formation of not only internal organs, but also the brain. In this case, the dimensions of the ventricles are especially carefully measured, which normally should not exceed a certain value.

At this stage, the neonatologist can diagnose the expansion of the ventricles of the brain in newborns. Based on the degree of pathology and the impact on the life of the child, the question of further solving this problem will be raised: for example, with minor deviations from the norm, observation by a neurologist and monitoring of the condition are prescribed. If the violations are serious, and the symptoms are pronounced, then the child needs special treatment and observation in a hospital.

The ventricular system consists of 4 cavities located in the brain regions. Their main purpose is the synthesis of cerebrospinal fluid or cerebrospinal fluid, which performs a large number of tasks, but its main function is to cushion the medulla from external influences, control intracranial pressure and stabilize metabolic processes between the blood and the brain.

The movement of cerebrospinal fluid occurs with the help of channels connecting the common 4th ventricle and the subarachnoid space formed by the membranes of the spinal cord and brain. Moreover, its main volume is located above significant cracks and convolutions of the cortex.

The largest lateral ventricles are located equidistant from the midline below the corpus callosum. The first ventricle is considered the cavity located on the left side, and the second - on the right. They are C-shaped and wrap around the dorsal parts of the basal nuclei. They produce cerebrospinal fluid, which enters the third ventricle through the intergastric openings. Structurally, I and II segment of the ventricular system includes the anterior (frontal) horns, the body and the lower (temporal) horns.

The third ventricle is located between the visual tubercles and has the shape of a ring. At the same time, gray matter is located in its walls, which is responsible for the regulation of the autonomic system. This department is connected with the aqueduct of the midbrain, and through the interventricular opening, located behind the nasal commissure, with the I and II ventricles.

The most important IV ventricle is located between the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata, and above it is the worm and cerebral sails, and below it is the medulla oblongata and the pons. This cavity was formed from the remains of the posterior cerebral bladder and is common to the rhomboid region. At its bottom lie the nuclei of the V-XII cranial nerves. In this case, the rear lower corner communicates with the spinal cord through the central canal, and through the upper front part - with the water supply.

Sometimes, when examining a newborn, the V ventricle is found, which is a feature of the structure of the brain. It is located in the anterior midline, below the corpus callosum. Usually, its closure occurs by the age of 6 months, but if the gap is more than 10 mm, then we are already talking about the pathology of the CSF system.

If an asymmetry of the lateral ventricles was detected in a child with ultrasound, then the prognosis depends on the degree of pathology and the depth of damage to the brain tissues, as well as the reasons that provoked the development of the disease. So, a significant increase interferes with normal circulation and production of cerebrospinal fluid, which entails neurological problems. But congenital asymmetry, not aggravated by outflow disorders, in most cases does not require treatment. However, such a child needs to be monitored in order to prevent the recurrence of the disease and possible consequences.

The size of the ventricles is normal

A healthy newborn normally has 4 ventricles: two lateral, the third is conditionally anterior and the fourth ventricular component, which is considered posterior. An increase in the lateral ventricles entails the production of a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid, which will not be able to circulate normally between the membranes of the brain and, accordingly, perform its functions of regulating metabolic processes. Therefore, when assessing the size of the ventricles of newborns, the following norms are used:

• lateral anterior horns should fit in the range of 2-4 mm;
• lateral occipital horns - 10-15 mm;
• the body of the lateral ventricles - no deeper than 4 mm;
• III ventricle - no more than 5 mm;
• IV - up to 4 mm.

When examining the brain of infants up to a year and older, the use of these norms will be incorrect, since the medulla and ventricles will grow, so the assessment is carried out using other indicators and corresponding tables.

Causes of ventricular enlargement

If at the initial examination it was revealed that the ventricles of the brain in a newborn are slightly enlarged, then do not despair, since in most cases this condition requires only observation during the first years of life, and the prognosis is favorable.

Initially, a small discrepancy between the indicators and the norms can be genetically determined, and be a feature of the structure of the brain, while pathological changes occur due to a chromosomal failure during the formation of the fetus.

There are a number of factors that provoke asymmetry and dilation (enlargement) of the ventricular cavity:

• infectious diseases during pregnancy (in particular, infection of the fetus with cytomelalovirus);
• blood poisoning, sepsis;
• complications caused by chronic diseases of the mother;
• premature birth;
• acute hypoxia during fetal development caused by insufficient blood supply to the placenta;
• varicose veins that feed the fetus;
• a long anhydrous period and prolonged labor activity;
• fleeting childbirth;
• birth trauma, hypoxia caused by cord entanglement;
• deformation of the cranial bones;
• the ingress of foreign objects into the brain structures;
• cysts, neoplasms of various nature;
• hemorrhages;
• ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Also, the expansion of the ventricles can be triggered by dropsy of the brain of unclear etiology and other congenital diseases.

Here is what a well-known pediatrician in the post-Soviet space, a doctor of the highest category, Yevgeny Komarovsky, says about the expansion of the ventricles.

How does it manifest

The main function of the ventricles is to secrete CSF, as well as to ensure its normal circulation in the subarachnoid space. If the balance of exchange and production of cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed, then stagnation is formed and, as a result, the walls of the cavities are stretched. The same slight expansion of the lateral segments may be a variant of the norm, but their asymmetry and an increase in individual parts (for example, only the horn) will be a sign of the development of pathology.

Enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants can be diagnosed with a congenital disease such as ventriculomegaly. It can be of varying severity:

1. A slight expansion of the ventricles of the brain up to 11-12 mm, while there are no pronounced symptoms. Manifested in the behavior of the child: he becomes more excitable and irritable.
2. An increase in the depth of the ventricles up to 15 mm. Most often, the pathology is accompanied by asymmetry and impaired blood supply to the affected area, which entails the appearance of convulsions, an increase in head size and a lag in mental and physical development.
3. Expansion of the ventricles up to 20 mm, characterized by irreversible changes in brain structures, in infants is often accompanied by Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.

In older adults, an increase in the volume of the ventricles is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Violation of gait, while the child walks "on tiptoe" or vice versa, focuses only on the heels.
• The appearance of visual disorders, such as strabismus, insufficient focusing of the gaze, as well as splitting the image when trying to make out small details.
• Tremor of hands and feet.
• Behavioral disorders that manifest themselves in excessive lethargy and drowsiness, while it is difficult for the child to be carried away by any activity.
• The appearance of headaches due to increased intracranial pressure, sometimes there may be nausea, and even vomiting.
• Dizziness.
• Frequent regurgitation, loss of appetite. Some newborns are able to refuse breastfeeding.

Effects

Late detection of pathology, which resulted in the expansion of the ventricle of the brain in a newborn, can lead to a halt in development and a deterioration in physical condition.

The main symptoms of the disease most often appear in the first 6 months after birth and are expressed in persistent increased intracranial pressure. There may also be a violation of consciousness, vision, hearing loss, epileptic seizures and seizures, disorders of the peripheral nervous system.

Lack of proper attention to the child and failure to comply with the appointments of specialists can provoke the transition of the disease from a milder form to a severe one, the treatment of which is carried out only in a hospital and, if necessary, with the use of surgical interventions.

Diagnosis and treatment

During pregnancy, the expansion of the ventricles of the fetal brain is most often detected even on a planned ultrasound study. Subsequent examinations are carried out in order to monitor the clinic of the disease, but the final diagnosis can only be made after the birth of the child and neurosonography - ultrasound of the brain through a large fontanel that has not yet overgrown. In this case, the pathology can develop at any age, but most often occurs in infancy.

To make a more accurate diagnosis, the baby may need a consultation and examination with an ophthalmologist who will assess the condition of the fundus vessels, swelling of the eye discs and other manifestations of increased intracranial pressure.

After the fusion of the cranial bones, it is possible to use an MRI of the brain: it will allow you to track the dilatation of the walls of the ventricles in dynamics. However, when using this method, the child will have to be motionless for a long time, therefore, before the procedure, he is immersed in a drug-induced sleep. If anesthesia is contraindicated, then the examination is carried out using computed tomography.

It is also mandatory to consult a neurologist, who will help identify developmental problems at an early stage. Depending on the degree of pathology, further treatment can be surgical or conservative medication.

With a significant deviation from the norm of the size of the ventricles, only surgical treatment is used, respectively, the child should also be examined by a neurosurgeon. In this case, during the operation, foci of neoplasms or fragments of the bones of the skull, which appeared as a result of craniocerebral injuries, can be removed. To reduce intracranial pressure, normalize blood circulation and metabolic processes, brain shunting is used.

Conservative therapy is prescribed for a slight increase in the ventricles and includes the use of diuretics, nootropics, sedatives and vitamin complexes. If the violations are caused by infections, then antibiotics are prescribed. Also, the use of therapeutic exercises will help to improve the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid and reduce its stagnation.

Forecast

If the pathology in the development of the ventricles was detected in the first days after birth, then the prognosis in most cases is favorable and depends on adequate treatment and the severity of the abnormalities.

Detection of the disease and therapy at an older age can be complicated due to the formation of a large number of anomalies resulting from the development of pathology, its causes and effects on other body systems.

Video: Increased intracranial pressure in a child

Often, doctors still in the maternity hospital reveal that the lateral ventricles of the brain in infants are enlarged. However, this does not mean at all that the baby needs serious treatment very urgently. What does this mean, what threatens and most importantly - what to do? The consequences of enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants can be severe. More on this later.

Structure

The ventricles of the child's brain are interconnected collectors, where the cerebrospinal fluid is formed. Large cavities are united, and they are located on the sides. connected by a special system of small holes. There is also a distal medulla with an enlarged fourth ventricle.

When ensuring the functioning of the ventricles, the CSF fluid can freely penetrate into the middle of the subarachnoid space. This zone is located on the borders of the arachnoid and dura mater of the brain, maintaining the optimal volume of fluid, even with a possible pathological condition.

Usually in newborns, it is determined that the lateral ventricles of the brain are enlarged. In this case, the posterior horns of the ventricles increase, fluid accumulation may be noted, and the cerebral ventricles also increase. Qualitative diagnostics helps to exclude the asymmetric arrangement of the brain collectors.

Etiology and pathogenesis

In medicine, an increase in these parts of the brain is called ventriculomegaly by doctors. It does not matter at all what led to this phenomenon, the obvious asymmetry will cause most concern. With a symmetrical increase, expansion can be considered quite normal, or it can be a sign of hydrocephalus, which appeared for certain reasons.

But with asymmetric or disproportionate sizes of the ventricles, we can talk about a rather voluminous formation in size, as well as the results of a possible injury. Parents in such a situation should immediately go with the baby for an urgent appointment with a neurosurgeon, since without proper treatment the consequences will be quite unpredictable. But sometimes a slight degree of asymmetry of the children's ventricles of the brain is considered quite normal. If the size of the ventricles near the foramen of Monro differ by no more than 2 mm, they do not speak of a pathological condition. The main thing is to timely and very carefully monitor the condition of the child.

Causes

Immediately after birth, dilated symmetrical ventricles are found in preterm babies. It is noteworthy that symptoms of intracranial ventricular enlargement are usually not observed. But if an increase in the horns is detected, we can talk about a certain pathology.

The ventricles of the brain can increase in infants for the following reasons:

1. A fall or injury to the head, which contributes to a disturbed outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, which begins to stagnate in the stomachs, as a result of which the child begins to show symptoms of excessive intracranial pressure.
2. Fetal hypoxia, placental insufficiency and defective structure of the placenta. As a result of such conditions, the blood supply to the fetal brain is disrupted, which contributes to the expansion of the collectors inside the skull.
3. Bacterial infection of a pregnant woman, since microorganisms freely enter the fetus through the placenta, causing various complications.
4. pathological childbirth. Injuries and trauma during childbirth can cause an impaired blood supply to the baby's brain, leading to increased expansion of the ventricles.
5. Oncological formations in the brain. Excessive growth of the tumor causes increased pressure on the internal structures of the child's brain, which causes its pathological increase.
6. Prolonged childbirth. If a lot of time passes between the moment of water discharge and childbirth, intrapartum hypoxia and a violation of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles may develop.
7. Infectious diseases that penetrate the blood-brain barrier can form brain pathological formations.

Other reasons

Dilatation in newborn ventricles is said to be when, according to the results of neurosonography, the anterior horns in diameter near the foramen of Monro become more than 5 mm. The causes of this condition may be acquired or congenital. The last category includes:

• acute fetal hypoxia in the womb;
• difficult pregnancy and difficult, premature birth;
• complications of a septic nature in a child;
• birth injury;
• a special place is occupied by subarachnoid and subdural bleeding;
• excessive asymmetry occurs due to increased blood volume, causing compression of a certain ventricle of the brain;
• malformations;
• intrauterine infections;
• extragenital pathology of a pregnant woman.

There are also acquired causes:

• hydrocephalus;
• hemangiomas, cysts and brain tumors.

Neurosurgeons pay special attention to neonatal hydrocephalus. In the structure of the brain with such a disease, a lot of cerebrospinal fluid accumulates, which provokes the appearance of cerebral symptoms and can cause quite complex conditions.

Hydrocephalus increases the CSF cavities, maintaining the same size for a long time. But after a period of decompensation, due to a sudden jump in intracranial pressure, the specialist begins to notice the expansion of the ventricles of the brain in the infant.

Symptoms of manifestation

Not in every situation, the expansion of the ventricles of the brain causes the development of adverse symptoms. Usually the child does not feel much discomfort, which clearly indicates the development of a rather complex pathology. But with more severe disorders in an infant, the following adverse manifestations may occur:

• Visual disturbances manifested as poor focus or strabismus. Sometimes a child can observe double vision in his eyes, and this condition intensifies while examining small objects.
• Impaired gait: the child stands on his heels or walks on his toes.
• Disproportionate head.
• Behavioral disorders: the little patient becomes drowsy and lethargic, even somewhat lethargic, it is difficult for him to get carried away with recreational activities.
• Change in muscle tone, revitalization of tendon reflexes.
• Dizziness and pain in the head.
• Vomiting may develop.
• Bulging, tension and increase in fontanelles in linear dimensions.
• Stasis of the optic disc.
• Decreased appetite: the newborn usually eats poorly, he has increased regurgitation. High pressure of the CSF fluid can affect the vomiting center, which is located at the bottom of the rhomboid fossa.
• Decreased sucking and swallowing reflexes.
• Disturbed sleep: it is difficult for the child to fall asleep, in a dream he can walk.
• Pronounced veins in the forehead, which provokes a difficult outflow of blood from the head.

Enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants? Such a pathology has a different degree of severity during its course. When initial symptoms are detected, a mild course of the disease is noted. If the baby has the above symptoms, which indicate high pressure inside the head, the ailment can become more severe. With a general deterioration in the condition of the baby, it is recommended to carry out a rather difficult treatment, always in a hospital.

It is important to understand that all of the above symptoms do not necessarily indicate the development of an enlarged brain. A slight increase in these structures and their slight asymmetry, changes in the fundus of the eye, the presence of reflexes may not bother parents at all. The main thing is to constantly monitor the condition of the baby and regularly perform neurosonography.

Diagnosis of this condition

To determine the exact dimensions of the ventricles, doctors prescribe the following informative methods:

1. Computed tomography makes it possible to determine the size of the ventricles, as well as their structure. This procedure does not cause any particular inconvenience to the newborn and does not harm him.
2. An ultrasound study describes the size and quantitative indicators of the ventricles of the brain, and also calculates their index. This method helps to assess the available volume of CSF in the brain collectors.
3. Magnetic resonance imaging is used if the diagnosis is difficult to establish. This procedure is performed for older children. But for small children, MRI, if the ventricles of the brain in infants are enlarged, is performed after they are introduced into an anesthetic sleep.
4. Neurosonography.
5. Examination of the bottom of the eyes.

After complete closure and narrowing of the fontanelles, the doctor begins to monitor the change in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain by performing MRI and CT. Magnetic resonance imaging describes the soft tissue structures of the brain as fully as possible, but, as noted above, it takes quite a long time to lie in the ring of the apparatus, and it will be very difficult for a small child. It is also worth remembering that there are some contraindications for this procedure.

In such a situation, computed tomography, which quickly determines the size of the ventricles, will be very effective. But it should be understood that tomography has a small radiation load on the newborn, and the quality of the information will be less.

Enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants? It could be caused by a subarachnoid or subdural hemorrhage. In this case, the MRI will determine the excessive accumulation of blood. Usually, the pathological dilatation of the brain regions begins with the horns at the back of the head. For their examination, screening methods are used - neurosonography, or ultrasound through the fontanel, to determine the size of the ventricles and brain. In the case of insufficiently good examination of the ventricles, one can judge their increase. But to make this diagnosis, you need to see them more clearly.

Whether it is necessary to treat?

Enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants. The issue of treatment is often of interest to worried parents, since pathology can be quite dangerous. And yet, if the infant does not have obvious clinical manifestations of the disease, if it develops quite normally, no special therapy is required.

Is the 3rd ventricle of the brain enlarged in the baby? Pathology is treated with precisely established excessive increase in fluid pressure. Indirectly, this can be determined by performing a tomography, and a direct study is performed using an extreme measure - lumbar puncture. Basically, these procedures are carried out when meningitis is detected, which, by the way, usually does not cause an increase in the size of the brain ventricles.

Treatment of the disease

The process of therapy of this pathological condition is monitored by a neurologist. If this condition is caused by the consequences of cranial or brain injuries, as well as volumetric formations, a pediatric neurosurgeon may join the therapy.

To eliminate the fact that the ventricle of the brain in a newborn is enlarged, the following treatment methods are used:

1. Nootropic drugs are prescribed to improve brain function and better blood supply to blood vessels.
2. Diuretic drugs reduce intracranial pressure, normalize the formation of cerebrospinal fluid, and also improve the overall well-being of the child.
3. Sedative drugs eliminate the increased anxiety of the newborn.
4. Multivitamin complexes compensate for all trace elements that are involved in quite important processes. Multivitamins strengthen the body and improve the body's resistance to disease.
5. Potassium preparations have a positive effect on the process of urine excretion, reduces the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.
6. Massage reduces muscle tone and relaxes the nervous system. Special gymnastics will normalize the outflow of excessive fluid, preventing its stagnation.
7. Antiviral and antibacterial agents are prescribed for certain indications and are used if the disease is caused by bacteria or viruses. They are usually prescribed in courses.
8. Surgical treatment is performed with volumetric formations and to eliminate existing bone fragments after a fracture.

Forecast

Are the ventricles of the brain enlarged in a child? If the pathology is cured in time, the disease will have a favorable prognosis. Symptoms of ventriculomegaly quickly disappear without disturbing the child in the future. There is a normalization of intracranial pressure.

Older children tolerate this condition somewhat more difficult. The prolonged course of the disease without effective treatment can lead to the development of hearing and visual impairment. With untimely therapy, an infant usually has persistent disorders that undoubtedly negatively affect the further development of the child. As you can see, the consequences of the enlarged ventricles of the brain in infants are completely different.

Outcome

It is important to note that, according to doctors, due to heredity, the left ventricle of the brain in an infant can be enlarged. Asymptomatic enlargement that occurs in infants can be transmitted from parents, and they may not be aware of such an important feature of their body. In this case, we are talking about a balance on the borders of the norm.

Parents should be calm: the mere presence of enlarged ventricles of the brain in a fetus or baby does not at all mean the development of a serious illness. The diagnosis should not be considered a signed "verdict".

In the first days after birth, a huge number of tests are taken from the child, vaccinations are given, many medical procedures are carried out, but an ultrasound of the brain is also mandatory. Doctors need to know the state of the brain, whether all its departments are properly developed, since the subsequent life and health of a person depends on this.

Newborns are passed through the fontanelles - non-ossified parts of the baby's skull with a thin, membrane-like structure. On the head of the baby there are several fontanel places. Their goal is to help the child during childbirth, allowing the head to adjust to the anatomical features of the birth canal. After birth, the fontanelles are tightened, and only one remains, through which the study of the brain is mainly carried out.

The main purpose of ultrasound is to make sure that there are no possible deviations and that all indicators are normal, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Severe pregnancy, difficulties in childbirth, genetic abnormalities, and so on can disrupt the development of the brain of a newborn. The same reasons can serve as an increase in the lateral ventricles of the brain in babies, which has recently been often diagnosed by doctors.

What are the ventricles of the brain?

In the human brain there are special structures containing cerebrospinal fluid, i.e. cerebrospinal fluid. Their main goal is the production and circulation of liquor. There are several types of ventricles: lateral, third and fourth.
The largest are lateral, resembling the letter C. The left lateral ventricle is considered the first, the right - the second. The lateral ventricles communicate with the third, which contains subcortical vegetative centers. The unpaired or fourth ventricle of the brain resembles a rhombus or pyramid in shape.

Being in fact the remnant of the cerebral bladder, this ventricle is an extension of the central canal of the spinal cord. All ventricles communicate with each other through holes and channels, which ensures the movement of cerebrospinal fluid and its subsequent outflow.

Reasons for expansion

Unfortunately, the expansion of the ventricles of the brain negatively affects the nervous system of the child, his development and health. Modern diagnostic methods, in particular, computed or magnetic resonance imaging, allow assessing the situation and the condition of the baby, diagnosing problems.

Often, infants have both expansion and asymmetry lateral ventricles of the brain. The objective reason for this is increased secretion and impaired patency of the cerebrospinal fluid. It turns out that the cerebrospinal fluid is simply not able to leave the brain channels in time. Most experts consider the expansion of the lateral ventricles in newborns as a symptom of a specific disease. This may be (violation of the process of circulation and absorption of CSF), tumors and neoplasms in the brain, traumatic brain injury, etc.

An increase in the ventricles of the brain in a newborn may not be a manifestation of some kind of disease, but the result of a developmental defect. For example, the expansion of the head ventricles may be a consequence, or arise from the unusual shape of the skull. Doctors also consider chromosome abnormalities in the mother's body, infection or virus in the placenta during pregnancy, a hereditary factor, complicated or early birth, hypoxia, and some others as reasons.

What to do and how to treat?

Not always the expansion of the ventricles of the brain in a newborn is a reason for panic. Their increase does not always indicate a serious pathology, but may be the cause of the individual and physiological development of the child. For example, in children with a large size, this is rather the norm.

Today, every fifth child under the age of one year has enlarged ventricles of the brain is not uncommon. If a defect is detected, not only the dimensions of the ventricles, but also all other systems associated with the transportation and secretion of cerebrospinal fluid, will be determined with the help. When prescribing the necessary course of treatment, the neurologist will rely both on the numbers and indications of the examination, and on general symptoms. For example, an increase in one ventricle by several millimeters in the absence of pathologies and symptoms of other brain structures does not require drug therapy.

In case of more serious deviations, the doctor prescribes treatment with diuretic, vitamin preparations of antihypoxants. Some experts recommend massage and special therapeutic exercises that help drain cerebrospinal fluid. The primary task in the treatment of enlarged ventricles of the brain is to prevent the development of possible complications in the child's body, his nervous system.

In any case, a neuropathologist and a neurosurgeon should deal with the treatment of such a pathology. Newborns with enlarged lateral ventricles are under close and regular medical supervision. Babies up to six months are often treated on an outpatient basis, sometimes for several months.

As a small conclusion

An increase in the ventricles of the brain in newborns is not considered an acute anomaly in development. A child rarely needs serious treatment, but the final, complete diagnosis and treatment plan should be established by a qualified neurologist, who, of course, will take into account the indications and general manifestations of neurological abnormalities. Therefore, constant monitoring and consultation with a doctor are vital. Our advice to parents is to consult a good neurologist and, of course, do not panic in any case.

Dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain in newborns is the hypertrophy of special cavities designed to be filled with cerebrospinal fluid, of which they are a temporary storage. Liquor (CSF) is a special liquid medium in which the central nervous system is immersed, which performs the functions of transporting the necessary substances and removing metabolic products and protecting the spinal cord and brain from mechanical damage.

There are 4 special cavities (ventricles) in humans: paired lateral, third and fourth. Lateral, located on both sides of the median line of the head below the corpus callosum, are strictly symmetrical and consist of the body, anterior, posterior and lower horns. These are two structures whose main function is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid and its transportation with the help of special structural devices. Dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain in newborns may be a variant of the norm or a consequence of a pathological violation of the outflow of CSF.

The normal size of the lateral cavity is usually determined depending on the linear parameters of the skull. The existing average norm of body size and subsections of the lateral ventricles of a newborn can only be considered as a relative indicator and adjusted depending on the individual parameters of the child (birth at term or prematurity, height and weight of the baby, hereditary parameters in the structure and size, skull). There are various methods for measuring the parameters of the cerebral ventricles and ways to visualize their shape. Hyperdeveloped (enlarged) ventricles of the brain in infants are not always evidence of the presence of pathology. This is quite common in premature babies. The expansion of the cavity does not mean a developmental pathology and is a symptom of a disease that can be eliminated with appropriate treatment.

An increase in the ventricles of the brain in newborns born prematurely is a consequence of the underdevelopment of certain parameters, because there was not enough time for this. And with proper care, after a certain period of time, such a phenomenon levels off, if it was not caused by hereditary anomalies in the structure of certain brain functions. The expansion of the lateral ventricles, not provoked by serious defects or external pathological causes, usually has little effect on the overall development of the child. The expansion of the ventricles of the brain in newborns, caused by intrauterine anomalies or diseases that disrupt the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the cavities, causes permanent monitoring and serious therapy.

An increase in the ventricles of the brain in the fetus can be detected even during an intrauterine study using ultrasound, but there are always certain doubts, and ultrasound is repeated to confirm the diagnosis. But the enlarged ventricles of the brain in fetal development may be an intermediate stage in the formation of the skull or due to its unusual structure. An increase in the ventricles of the brain in children who have had rickets is also considered a relative norm, because it disappears after the treatment of rickets.

Causes of occurrence and caused pathologies

The reasons for the increase in the ventricles of the brain are conditionally divided into internal and external. The first appear due to developmental anomalies as a result of pathological processes present in the body, provoked by external negative factors. Anatomically, the ventricles of the brain in a child may undergo an increase due to the following defects:

• stenosis of interventricular holes or their atresia;
• pathologies of the structure of the sylvian aqueduct (brain aqueduct);
• anomalies of the upper cervical or base of the skull;
• transferred inflammation of the meninges.

Pathological reasons for the expansion of the ventricles of the brain in a child can be due to both hereditary factors transmitted at the chromosomal level, and the negative course of pregnancy. Modern medicine believes that the asymmetry of the lateral ventricles of the brain, provoked by the pathological course of pregnancy, may be the result of intrauterine infection and septic complications, extragenital pathologies of the mother, and even an excessive time period between the discharge of water and the process of childbirth. The lateral ventricles of the brain can become the root cause of the appearance of serious diseases if they are enlarged due to pathological reasons.

Pathologies of the ventricles of the brain can also appear as a result of acquired volumetric formations: tumors, cysts, hemangiomas and hematomas. Acquired causes of asymmetry in newborns include hydrocephalus. It can occur with 3 anomalies associated with the circulation of CSF:

• violation of the outflow, the usual course of which is hindered by an obstacle;
• overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid;
• failure in the balance between CSF absorption and its formation.

Hydrocephalus of the brain in a newborn, which arose after a difficulty in the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, leads to a visual increase in the volume of the skull, which occurs because tight connections in infants were not formed between all segments of the bone structure. The intrauterine occurrence of hydrocephalus is associated with previous infections, genetics and congenital pathologies of the development of the central nervous system, in infants with malformations of the spinal cord or brain, tumors, birth or trauma. Dilatation of the cavities of the brain in newborns is most often associated with abnormal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid caused by pathological causes.

Ventriculomegaly, according to some researchers, is an independent pathology, characterized by the presence of enlarged lateral ventricles in an infant. However, this point of view also connects the occurrence of pathology with objective malformations or with external negative factors, due to which the ventricular cavities are expanded. Ventriculomegaly in itself does not pose a great danger, but under certain conditions it can cause serious pathologies.

Diagnostics and research

The asymmetry of the ventricles of the brain during the initial diagnosis is determined by measuring the size of the lateral ventricles using existing special techniques. Their depth and the size of the cavity of the transparent septum are measured. The cavity is located in the third ventricle. This makes it possible to identify violations, due to which the cavities expand. Such disorders include anatomical abnormalities, CNS disorders, excessive production of CSF or tumors, and the consequences of traumatic injuries.

Hydrocephalus, which occurs as a result of prolonged compression of the cerebrospinal fluid on unformed joints of bone structures, is not noticeable at first, but may increase and manifest itself if the state of the lateral ventricles, which is not normal, is not immediately detected. Diagnosis begins with an examination by a neurologist. A general history is taken, the baby's head is measured, tendon and muscle reflexes, and muscle tone are checked. Neurosonography is performed through the fontanel. This is an ultrasound examining each cavity of the brain, perhaps while the fontanel is open. But the main diagnosis can only be made after an MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging gives an idea not only about the size of the cerebral ventricle, but also about the presence or absence of extraneous formations; condition of veins, arteries, vessels, channels.

CT is inferior to MRI in terms of information content, but increases the total amount of information and allows you to get additional information. Sometimes such studies reveal a pseudocyst as a possible cause of asymmetry or poor cerebrospinal fluid patency. This disease in modern conditions is easily amenable to drug treatment, if diagnosed at an early stage, until it begins to expand.

Treatment of dilatation of the lateral ventricles of the brain is carried out in 2 ways - conservative and operative - and is determined both by the causes of this phenomenon and by looking at the possible consequences. Most often, surgical treatment is resorted to with anatomical pathologies or tumors. It does not matter whether there is a lesion of both ventricles or not only the left or right is not normal.

The attention shown by neurologists to the state of the lateral ventricles of the brain, especially when they are dealing with children, is associated with the important role that cerebrospinal fluid plays in the body. The ventricles are its reservoirs that perform protective and trophic functions.