Computed tomography of cerebral palsy: evaluation of brain damage by volume index of CSF space.

Between 1976 and 1978, we examined 110 Japanese children with cerebral palsy using a CT 1000 and a CT 1010 (EMI). In 92% of all patients, there were abnormal findings. Cortical atrophy was seen in 51%, ventricular dilatation in 86%, localized low density areas in 22%, brain anomalies in 10% and asymmetry of cerebral hemisphere in 31%. In spastic hemiplegia, the characteristic CT revealed asymmetrical ventricular dilatation without cortical atrophy and localized low density areas in the cerebral hemisphere contralateral to the palsy. In spastic tetraplegia, CT revealed moderate to marked diffuse cerebral atrophy or brain anomalies. In athetosis, CT revealed normal or slight cerebral atrophy. In 60 cases where a CT 1010 was used, we calculated the volume index of CSF space by computer, Eclipse S/200, and analyzed the relationship between the clinical features of cerebral palsy and the volume index of CSF space.