Colpocephaly

Last revised by Mostafa El-Feky on 18 Jun 2023

Colpocephaly is a descriptive term for a disproportionate prominence of the occipital horns of the lateral ventricles. It can result from a wide range of congenital insults.

Patients may present with motor abnormalities, cognitive deficits, visual abnormalities, and seizures. 

Radiologically, diagnosis of colpocephaly becomes more likely when the ratio of the posterior horn to anterior horn of lateral ventricle width (P/A ratio) is ≥3 2.

The P/A ratio also helps to distinguish colpocephaly from normal pressure hydrocephalus, which is an important differential diagnosis. 

Colpocephaly was initially reported by American psychiatrist Clemens E Benda (1898-1975) 4 in 1941 2.

The term comes from the Greek: kolpos (hollow) and kephalos (head); and it was coined by the neurologist Paul Ivan Yakovlev and the neuropathologist Richard C Wadsworth in 1946 1,3.

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

Cases and figures

  • Case 1: with dysgenesis of corpus callosum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 2: with agenesis of the corpus callosum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 3: with agenesis of the corpus callosum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 4: with concurrent lissencephaly spectrum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 5: with corpus callosum agenesis
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 6: with agenesis of corpus callosum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 7: with corpus callosum dysgenesis
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 8: with corpus callosum dysgenesis
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Case 9: with agenesis of corpus callosum
    Drag here to reorder.
  • Updating… Please wait.

     Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

     Thank you for updating your details.