Ventriculomegaly
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Ventriculomegaly is a brain condition that occurs when the lateral ventricles become enlarged between 10 mm and 15 mm in width by the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the lateral ventricles. The interventricular foramen may be congenitally malformed, or may have become obstructed by infection, hemorrhage, or a tumor, which would hender the cerebrospinal fluid from passing by normally, and thus build up in the excess spaces of the ventricles. This diagnosis is generally found in routine fetal anomaly scans at 18–22 weeks gestation.
[edit] Conditions
Ventriculomegaly is also credited toward malformations such as agenesis of the corpus callosum, spina bifida, and heart defects. Fetuses with ventriculomegaly have shown abnormal ultrasound findings and are at greater risk for having a chromosomal abnormality associated with this condition, including that of Down Syndrome. Most of the conditions associated with ventriculomegaly are well defined prior to birth. Ventriculomegaly associated with abnormal findings and structural malformations, even when isolated, will usually carry a poor prognosis, which results from disability to death.
