Comparison of CT and MR in 400 patients with suspected disease of the brain and cervical spinal cord.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) (0.35 T) and computed tomography (CT) were compared in 400 consecutive patients with suspected disease of the brain and cervical spinal cord. Of 325 positive diagnoses, MR detected abnormality while CT was normal in 93; MR was more specific in 68; MR and CT gave equivalent information in 129; CT was more specific in 32; and CT was positive while MR was normal in 3. MR was superior to CT in detection of multiple sclerosis, subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy, posterior fossa infarcts and tumors, small extra-axial fluid collections, and cervical syringomyelia. CT was preferable in evaluation of meningiomas and separation of tumor from edema. Using available sequence parameters, MR missed 3 1-cm calcified meningiomas which were clearly seen on CT. CT takes less time and may be preferable in patients with acute trauma as well as very young or elderly individuals. Thus the two studies should be considered complementary.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Central Nervous System: Comparison to Computed Tomography

“…In a recent comparison of MR and CT in 400 consecutive cases of suspected disease in the brain and cervical cord, MR was shown to be more sensitive than CT in 30% of the cases referred to a large community hospital over a five-month period. 3 For this reason, MR is rapidly being implemented at university medical centers, large community hospitals, and at freestanding clinics. In view of the expected widespread use of these devices in the near future, it is incumbent upon the referring physician to be conversant with the basic principles of magnetic resonance imaging and to be familiar with the current clinical indications for MR, particularly in the central nervous system (CNS).…”

Multiple Intracranial Meningiomas: Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…At present, CT scan with contrast is also superior to magnetic resonance imaging in detecting single or multiple meningiomas. 34 In all reported cases, the histology of multiple meningiomas was not different from that in benign single meningioma. Due to this fact, and because these tumors often reach large sizes before they are discovered and become difficult to remove, a high index of suspicion for the possible presence of more than one meningioma is warranted in the clinical and radiologic investigation of these patients.…”

Measuring the Thickness of the Abdominal Wall at Abdominal Acupoints Using Ultrasonography and Analyzing Correlations with Physical Examination Values in Functional Dyspepsia Patients

“…For example, Fiirgaard et al suggested that MRI is superior in estimating the volume of acoustic neuroma than CT scan and with less inter-examiner difference [104]. MRI was reported to be better in identifying suspected disease of the brain and cervical spinal cord [105]. The sensitivity for detecting bony osteolytic lesions was 51.7% for radiography, 74.7% for computed tomography, and 95.4% for magnetic resonance imaging as reported by Walde et al [106].…”