Investigation of septum pellucidum and its variations with magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Background/Aim: The septum pellucidum (SP) is the thin layer formed by the two laminas that form the medial wall of the lateral ventricle. When the laminas do not fuse, a cavity called cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) or Cavum Vergae (CV) forms. CSP is a developmental anomaly with unclear pathological significance and is common in people with neuropsychiatric diseases, especially schizophrenia, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette's disease, and patients who suffer from recurrent and severe head trauma. However, few studies in the literature examine the CSP morphology among healthy individuals. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the morphology and variations of septum pellucidum in healthy individuals. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the septum pellucidum was morphologically evaluated in 509 patients who underwent brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital. We classified the anatomical variations of the septum pellucidum as CSP, CV, CVI and evaluated their dimensions. Results: CSP was detected in 11.98% of the cases, and CV, in 1.38%. While 55.74% of individuals with CSP were male, 44.26 % were female. The mean CSP length and height were 7.71 (2.95) mm (P=0.103), and 2.80 (1.12) mm (P=0.649), respectively, and the mean length and height of the SP were 30.98 (7.36) mm (P=0.001), and 11.89 (3.32) mm (P=0.042), respectively. Conclusion: Knowledge of CSP, one of the septum pellucidum variations, is of great importance in the differential diagnosis of midline cystic mass lesions. Its volumetric changes may be related to the development of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adulthood.