Peripheral enhancement in computerized cranial tomography: a non-specific finding

Peripheral enhancement of intracranial lesions on CT examination is still being considered by some radiologists as specific for an abscess or a cystic tumor. A review of the last 4,000 scans at this institution has demonstrated that it is neither specific nor, in many cases, of much help in the differential diagnosis of the lesions. Examples of the various types of lesions that can demonstrate peripheral enhancement are shown. It is suggested that many if not all types of pathology would demonstrate this effect if the cranial CT scans were done at a fortuitous time or sequentially. Some differential diagnostic suggestions are also made.