Below is Meagan's CT scan from this week. Head circumference, 43cm. **The NSG told me to be careful about directly comparing the CT scan to the MRI because they will give different levels of details in the imaging but you can still see a big difference**
1. the fluid going down (the black in the middle of the brain, which was all the white in the above picture)
2. her brain tissue around the edge of the skull starting to fluff out (the grey matter about an inch thick or so)
3. her shunt (the long thick white line)
1.dark black around the outside of the brain - this is new fluid gathering around the outside of Meagan's brain can indicate overdrainage and that her bones are at risk of fusing early. He re-programmed her shunt to go slower to put more pressure on these bones so we can hopefully avoid surgery to have to break them apart. It seems to be working so far - her head has rounded out on top already and grown almost 2cm this week. It may seem crazy to let her head circumference go back up, but, we have to walk a fine line of enough pressure so the bones don't fuse before brain is present,.... and not too much pressure where it continues to damage the brain.
2. a grey-ish "speckled" black fluid at the back of her brain. When I asked if this was also fluid from her Hydro, he told me it is actually something 'new' for Meagan. He believes it is a large CSF filled cyst in Meagan's Posterior Fossa... Meagan will probably need another surgery at some point to place a new catheter in this area so it also drains and doesn't continue to put pressure on her cerrebellum. The NSG also wants to watch it because it can be a sign that Meagan has other brain abnormalities that we have not seen yet due to the fluid. But that is something we won't know until her next scan in 3 months.
Here are the two side by side just for visual comparison:
WOW, what a difference:) Still praying for all of you! HUGS!
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