ROENTGEN FINDINGS OF INCREASED INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE AND COMMUNICATING HYDROCEPHALUS AS INSIDIOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF CHRONIC HISTIOCYTOSIS-X

¹ From Departments of Radiology, University of Minnesota Hospitals and Mt. Sinai Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota

A "new" roentgen finding of increased intracranial pressure with communicating hydrocephalus is described in histiocytosis-X. Unlike the broad range of multiple system involvement in acute and subacute forms, the increased pressure findings appear to be limited to the chronic stages of the disease. We did not encounter a case of obstructive hydrocephalus but this can be postulated as a possibility.

One should not hesitate to obtain periodic skull studies in children with chronic histiocytosis-X in order to detect the insidious cases of increased pressure before eye signs, etc. are apparent. Such insidious course was present in Case III.

Apart from survey skull studies, air and angiographic examinations are recommended to determine if hydrocephalus is present and also if there might be a sign of dural sinus invasion.

The 41 cases of histiocytosis-X at The University of Minnesota Hospitals were reviewed. Six had definite roentgen evidences of increased intracranial pressure, 2 had suspicious evidence, and 10 had postmortem changes of the central nervous system.

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