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Linda Sipress Goodwin, MD; Jonathan Hellmann, MB, BCh, FCP(SA); Robert C. Vannucci, MD; M. Jeffery Maisels, MB, BCh

Arch Neurol. 1981;38(7):447-449.

Abstract
• A total of 120 computed tomographic scans of the brain in premature and full-term infants were reviewed. Of these, 28 were judged to exhibit normal ventricular dimensions, and the bifrontal, bicaudate, and bioccipital indices of the lateral ventricles were determined. The bifrontal and bicaudate indices followed a Gaussian distribution, with mean values of 0.28 ± 0.07 (SD) and 0.15 ± 0.03 (SD), respectively, whereas the bioccipital index was uniform in its distribution (range, 0.13 to 0.26). For comparison, corresponding indices were determined in scans of ten infants with clinical evidence of hydrocephalus. Based on these data, guidelines are suggested to distinguish normal and abnormal ventricular dimensions in newborn infants.

Author Affiliations
From the Divisions of Newborn Medicine (Drs Hellmann and Maisels) and Neurology (Drs Goodwin and Vannucci), Department of Pediatrics, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pa.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Nov 10, 1980.

Reprint requests to Department of Pediatrics, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Dr, Hershey, PA 17033 (Dr Vannucci).