Computed tomography in the diagnosis of cerebral abscess

Computed tomography (CT) was performed 64 times on 22 patients with cerebral abcesses, using the 160 X 160 matrix EMI scanner. The diagnosis was based upon the demonstration of a localized low-attenuation area appearing, after the administration of contrast medium, as a high-attenuation annular rim ascribed to displaced and/or newly formed vessels, the so-called abscess membrane. CT is compared with the conventional diagnostic methods of neuroradiology. The differential diagnostic accuracy of CT is clearly superior to that of previous methods, including angiography, which, until now, we have considered the most accurate method.