====== Schizencephaly ======


Schizencephaly is a rare birth defect. 

It causes slits or clefts in the [[cerebral hemisphere]]s of your brain. These clefts may appear on one or both sides of your brain. They may be filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

a) sine qua non: cleft that communicates with the ventricle (communication may be confirmed
with CT cisternogram if necessary)

b) cleft lined with cortical grey matter (often abnormal, may have [[polymicrogyria]]). This distinguishes it from [[porencephaly]], a cystic lesion lined with connective or glial tissue that may communicate with the ventricular system, often caused by vascular infarcts or following [[intracerebral hemorrhage]] or penetrating trauma (including repeated ventricular punctures)

c) two forms:
● open lipped: large cleft to the ventricle. Very severe forms may mimic hydranencephaly 


● close-lipped (walls fused):  look for a dimple in the lateral wall of the lateral ventricle
immediately under the cortical cleft (the appearance of which may mimic an enlarged
sulcus)