The CT Scan of the brain shows appearance to be a degree of atrophy with widened CSF spaces around the brain,?

Question

Which is gravitating posteriorly. My 5 month old baby had a CT scan 3 weeks ago these are the results i dont understand what they mean any help would be gratefull

I got the results in a letter by the post from the consultant paediatrician.

Answer 1

It means that the brain has shrunk (atrophy) for some reason and that the natural spaces (Cerebral Spinal Fluid spaces) are bigger than they should be. You really need to talk to the doctor as to what this means for your child....;

Answer 2

Atrophy means that they found that the brain is smaller than it apparently should be; the widened CSF spaces around the brain are there because the brain IS smaller than is should be for the size of the inside of the skull. The CSF is the fluid that constantly bathes and circulates around the brain and the spinal cord which are connected. When it states that the brain is "gravitating posteriorly", that means that if you could look through the skull from the side you would see that the brain is tilting toward the back of the skull. You don't mention what symptoms the child has been having but unless the baby was born with a smaller than normal brain, there are a number of things that could cause shrinkage of it after birth including infections of the brain or spinal cord and/or injury during or after birth among several possible causes.

Answer 3

"A degree of atrophy" means the brain matter is decreasing.

"Widened CSF spaces around the brain" means that there is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid accumulated outside of the brain.

If it's "gravitating posteriorly" this means that it's accumulating more to the back of the brain as opposed to the frontal lobe.

I'm assuming this CT scan was done to rule in or out the condition of hydrocephaly (fluid around the brain) or perhaps another concern. I think the next step would depend on any symptoms your child is displaying or any other associated health conditions.

Please feel free to offlist me if I can help you to understand your child's situation.

Answer 4

I'm sorry you got bewildering news like this through the post - it seems like a very crass thing to do on the part of the hospital.

Your consultant should have made an effort to sit down and go through the results with you, in as much detail as it takes to let you clearly understand what he's telling you.

You could ring the hospital or have someone do it for you. From reading your earlier questions, if you're in touch with your community mental health nurse, she/he could act on your behalf as your advocate, and arrange an appointment for you with the consultant, they may even be able to go along with you to the appointment for support and an extra pair of ears.

The results themselves are the report of a ct scan - they are not a stand alone report - their significance depends on the baby's medical history. It is the job of your baby's consultant to explain them to you.

Please go along to talk to someone asap, and in the meantime, try not to worry too much, and get all the support you can for yourself and your other two children.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Please go back to your doctor and talk with him/her about these results. Whoever gave them to you should have explained them fully. Gravitating posteriorly means that it is moving to the back of the head.
God bless.

Answer 6

You shouldn't have got this by post-it seems a bit heartless of them. I would go to your doctors with your baby and the letter. He/she will explain and also tell you what can or can't be done.