Valvulography for the evaluation of the cerebrospinal shunt in childhood hydrocephalus
Pothmann, R.; Lim, D.P.; Kemperdick, H.; Seibert, H.; Kiekens, R.
Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kinderheilkunde 128(11): 708-710
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-9298 PMID: 6110177 Document Number: 163990
Infection and obstruction of the cerebrospinal shunt are the most important disturbances in the management of childhood hydrocephalus. Often an occlusion of the shunt cannot be localized by conventional diagnostic means. Therefore the patency of Heyer-Systems was studied in 28 hydrocephalic children aged 2 months to 15 years with clinical signs of an increased intracranical pressure. The so-called valvulography with 99mTc-pertechnetate or Metrizamide (Amipaque). In more than 96% the results were confirmed during operation. The advantages of the X-ray method are: instrument and contrast medium are available at any time and the combination with cranial computertomography gives more precise data than scintigraphy alone.