How is hydrocephalus detected or diagnosed?

Hydrocephalus is quite obvious in newborns when head size is bigger than normal. In older children, we definitely need a CT Scan or an MRI scan of the head to confirm the diagnosis. These scans can sometimes help us determine the cause of the hydrocephalus.

In the elderly, normal pressure hydrocephalus is diagnosed by a triad of symptoms (dementia, gait disturbance and urinary incontinence) and confirmed with a CT scan or an MRI scan of the head.