[The contribution of computerized tomography and MRI in the diagnosis of degenerative dementia]

CT and MRI are presently the most commonly used imaging techniques providing optimal visualisation of brain images. Normal aging is observed on CT and especially on MRI: these changes should be recognized and differentiated from pathological brain anomalies. The authors briefly describe changes demonstrated by CT and MRI in the most commonly encountered dementia: still emphasis is put on the fact that these anomalies are poorly specific and never pathognomonic. On the contrary, it must be prompted to perform CT and MRI in demented patients in order to rule out diseases curable by surgery such as normal pressure hydrocephaly, subdural hematoma, meningioma and so on especially well demonstrated by CT and MRI.