Equivocal findings on cranial CT but apparent cerebral lesion(s) on conventional radionuclide imaging.

Four patients with different disease entities (multiple cerebral metastases, cerebral infarct, cerebritis, and encephalitis) in whom x-ray computed tomography was either equivocal or negative showed apparent cerebral lesions by radionuclide studies. Equivocal CTs in the patients with multiple cerebral metastases or cerebral infarction may be attributed to the contraindication of contrast media and/or lack of cooperation during the examination procedure. In patients with cerebritis or encephalitis, radionuclide studies have proven to be more sensitive than CT early in the infectious disease process. In certain circumstances it is clinically beneficial and cost effective to evaluate the patient primarily by radionuclide scintigraphy.