[Complex x-ray diagnosis of craniopharyngioma in adults]

The authors analyse the findings of craniography, linear tomography, radiocontrast examination, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic-resonance tomography (MRT) in 322 patients 16 to 69 years of age with craniopharyngiomas. Calcification of the craniopharyngiomas was demonstrated on craniograms in 38.8% of cases and by computed tomography in 57.4% of cases. Endosuprasellar localization of the craniopharyngioma was encountered in 99 cases, in the stalk in 122, intra-extraventricular--in 80, and intraventricular--in 21 cases; among these cases 30 were with giant craniopharyngiomas. CT and MRT give an idea of the size of the nodular, petrified, and cystic parts of the craniopharyngioma and the topographic relations of the tumor to the various parts of the brain and the vascular and C.S.F. systems, which is very important for the tactics of treatment, the volume of the surgical intervention.