Objective To investigate the features and clinical diagnosis values of CT and MRI in schizencephaly.

Methods The imaging features of CT and MRI were restrospectively analyzed in 17 cases of schizencephaly patients.

Results CT and MRI showed the fractures from the cortex to the lateral ventricle which stretch across the brain hemisphere, and there were inflexed grey matter on both sides. In the inner end of fracture, there were some curtain like protuberance of the ventricle walls, the lateral end of closed type fracture presented a trumpet or deep sulci like shape, and the open type fracture presented a dumbbell shape. A total of 24 fractures were found in 17 cases of schizencephaly patients, 12 cases were unilateral, 5 cases were bilateral; 12 cases were closed type, 5 cases were open type; 10 cases complicated with transparent septum defect, 8 cases were heterotopic gray matter, 2 cases were unilateral thalamus and partial basal ganglia defect, 4 cases were polymicrogyria, 1 case was pachygyria, 2 cases were less white matter at the trigone of the lateral ventricles, 5 cases were arachnoid cyst.

Conclusion Schizencephaly has distinctive imaging features, CT and MRI examination can clearly display the pathological morphology of schizencephaly.