[Current status of the neuroradiologic diagnosis of cerebellopontile angle tumors]

By means of 124 tumors of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) the diagnostic results of the neuroradiological investigative methods computed tomography (CT), CT-air-cisternography, magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) and selective angiography are critically analysed with regard to their differential diagnostic significance and from this their order of employment. The histologically proven CPA-tumors consisted of 68 neurinomas, 8 meningeomas, 2 epidermoids, 29 tumors of the glomus tympano-jugulare, 2 metastases, 2 hemangioblastomas, 1 ectopic neuroepithelial cyst, 4 arachnoidal cysts, 6 cases with adhesive arachnitis and 2 abscesses. CT-findings were present in all cases; additional MRT-findings existed in 8 patients, and selective angiographies were done in further 103 patients. The description of the normal CPA-anatomy and its pathological findings in CT-air-cisternography is based on 250 examinations, 35 of which were done on both sides and further 38 simultaneously with an enhanced CT. For early diagnosis of CPA-tumors with less than 10 mm size and preponderantly otologic symptoms and signs CT-air-cisternography is recommended as examination method of choice; the same is true for native CT with subsequent enhancement in advanced stages with further neurologic signs. MRT-examinations should be done only in the second place. At present, the advantage of non-invasive, qualitative tumor detection is reduced by the deficient specifity of MRT-findings. However, because of distinct MRT-representations of intrameatal tumor-parts in acoustic neurinomas this method is already now likely to be qualified for early diagnosis, possibly replacing then CT-air-cisternography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)