A New Test for Hydrocephalus?

The diagnosis of hydrocephalus and shunt malfunction can be difficult and often requires more information than can be provided by MRI, CT, or ultrasound. Our St Louis investigator, Dr David Limbrick has begun the search for biomarkers of hydrocephalus and shunt malfunction. He is testing CSF and blood from infants suffering from post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in order to identify proteins that can be used for early diagnosis. In addition these proteins may provide real-time feedback on the effectiveness of treatment. Ultimately, we hope that these or similar biomarkers will provide a tool to complement current imaging methods and facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of hydrocephalus.

Comments

  1. Sounds good! As a mother with a daughter who has suffered from 8 shunt malfunctions I hope for easy ways to find what is a “normal” headache and what could be a serious shunt malfunction. Here in Norway we are a small population with rather few medical people working and doing research on Hydrocephalus. I am grateful to receive news like this, and will be following this research with serious interrest!
    Elisabeth Sund

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