Evaluation of macrocrania using computed tomography.

Computed tomographic scans were obtained on 72 consecutive infants and children who were referred because of a large head; 75% had hydrocephalus. Patients who had communicating hydrocephalus had the best prognosis. Prognosis of other types of hydrocephalus was poor, especially in cases showing cystic brain disease(porencephaly, multicystic disease, hydranencephaly). Nonhydrocephalic macrocranias were accounted for mainly by premature infants who had catch-up head growth and by patients who had primary megaloencephaly associated with abnormal neurologic development.