The interpretation of brain ventricular size in CAT scans of patients
with dementia is made difficult by the marked variability in ventricular
size that occurs with normal aging. Five patients with probable Alzheimer's
disease had serial CAT scans. Published normative data were interpolated to
estimate the normal rate of change in ventricular size. Over a period of 15
to 35 months, four of the five patients had increases in ventricular size
that were remarkably greater than the norms. The data suggest that the rate
of change in ventricular size may be of considerable interest in
longitudinal analyses and as a neurodiagnostic parameter.Abstract Teaser