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What Does Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Of Brain Indicate?
Question: My husband just had an MRI with results suggesting "moderate . degree of diffuse cerebral volume loss. A CT scan two years ago revealed " brain atrophy" . Our primary care physician and neurologist have tentatively diagnosed normal pressure hydrocephalus. He has all 3 major symptoms of that. What c a n be done if your brain is atrophiying and you have cerebral volume loss? Is that Alzheimer's?
Brief Answer:
He should get a ventricular derivation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about what your husband is going through. From the information you have provided, he is not having alzheimers. Alzheimers is characterised by abnormal proteins in the brain that led to neurological symptoms. Progressive loss of brain matter is more common in senile dementia.
If the diagnosis of Normal pressure hydrocephalus has been made before and he has symptoms, placing a shunt to carry those fluid put of the brain to the abdomen would be very helpful to relief him of symptoms as well as slow down the progression of this atrophy.
I will recommend that you discuss these findings with a neurosurgeon and hear what his opinion on this is. Ask a clear question whether he thinks the surgery would be of benefit to him and hear what the response is.
In all, it is not alzheimer's. Surgery may help relief symptoms and slow down the process of atrophy. Talk to a neurosurgeon and hear what they think.
I hope this helps. I wish him well. Thanks for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarification if need be.
He should get a ventricular derivation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about what your husband is going through. From the information you have provided, he is not having alzheimers. Alzheimers is characterised by abnormal proteins in the brain that led to neurological symptoms. Progressive loss of brain matter is more common in senile dementia.
If the diagnosis of Normal pressure hydrocephalus has been made before and he has symptoms, placing a shunt to carry those fluid put of the brain to the abdomen would be very helpful to relief him of symptoms as well as slow down the progression of this atrophy.
I will recommend that you discuss these findings with a neurosurgeon and hear what his opinion on this is. Ask a clear question whether he thinks the surgery would be of benefit to him and hear what the response is.
In all, it is not alzheimer's. Surgery may help relief symptoms and slow down the process of atrophy. Talk to a neurosurgeon and hear what they think.
I hope this helps. I wish him well. Thanks for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarification if need be.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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