The peripheral zone of increase density in cranial computed tomography.

Area of Science:

• Neuroradiology
• Medical Imaging Analysis

Background:

• A band of increased attenuation is often observed in vivo computed tomography (CT) images of adult brains.
• This finding is frequently misinterpreted as the cerebral cortex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the observed high-attenuation band on CT images represents the actual cerebral cortex.
• To investigate the clinical significance of this imaging finding.

Main Methods:

• Clinical and experimental analysis of in vivo CT images.
• Measurement of attenuation values for isolated cortex and white matter.

Main Results:

• The high-attenuation band seen on CT images is an artifact in the reconstructed image, not the true cerebral cortex.
• The attenuation values of isolated cortex and white matter do not explain this artifact.
• Recognition of this artifact can assist in the identification of intracranial lesions.

Conclusions:

• The frequently observed high-attenuation band on adult CT scans is an artifact.
• This artifact can be a useful indicator for diagnosing intracranial pathologies, including shallow subdural hematomas.