[Diagnosis of brain abscess using computer tomography]

The author examined 29 patients with the diagnosis of brain abscess by computed tomography (CT). In 28 instances the CT finding visualized a hypodense formation with an annular colouration which became more marked after administration of the contrast substance. In one patient the abscess was a hyperdense homogeneous focus. The pathological formation always behaved expansively with the surrounding oedema. The CT findings were correlated with other examination techniques (electroencephalography, cerebral angiography, cerebral scintigraphy). Visualization of the brain abscess on CT is not specific for this diagnosis. The same picture may be caused by a brain metastasis, glioma, ischaemia, an absorbing haematoma. Substrate diagnosis is not possible without a detailed case-history, clinical examination, laboratory examination and other examination methods. After introduction of CT diagnosis the mortality of patients with brain abscesses declined markedly.