Morphological and morphometric assessment of the encephalic ventricles using different neuroimaging techniques

An exhaustive analysis of the morphology and morphometry of the encephalic ventricles has been carried out using an array of diagnostic imaging techniques; namely, ultrasound, computerised tomography, magnetic resonance and its three-dimensional variant. The study was conducted on a total of 822 patients ranging in age from birth to 89 years old. The incorporation of these techniques into the field of Human Anatomy has permitted researchers to gain a different and updated view of the anatomical structures present in living human beings. Thus, using ultrasound the ventricular system was identified in the form of sonolucent or anechoic areas. With computerised tomography, the ventricles appeared as hypodense images within the adjacent cerebral parenchyma. With magnetic resonance, and three-dimensional reconstruction, the ventricular morphology was visualised on the three spatial planes. Visualisation of the ventricular cavities by MR varied depending on whether they were enhanced in T1 or T2, or in proton density. From the morphometric point of view, the cerebral ventricles exhibited variations in size that were directly related to the age of the patient; thus, age is a determinant factor in ventricular size. However, note should be taken of the low morphometric variability seen in IVv with respect to age. Regarding the other cerebral ventricles, size did depend on age.