Follow-up pathology of cranial computed tomography: pitfalls in clinical-radiological evaluation.

Interpretation of cranial computed tomography in five patients and angiography in one of these patients contributed significantly to primary clinical diagnoses and management; however, the diagnoses were incorrect. The lesions in the radiographic studies were correlated with classical clinical findings. Associated and generally unappreciated clinical or radiographic findings also were present and could have lead to reconsideration of at least some of the primary diagnoses. The unusual or unique presentations resulting in underdiagnosis or overdiagnosis lead to nonbeneficial or improper care. Cerebrovascular and infectious diseases found in most of these cases are recognized as common areas of diagnostic difficulty by previous and present follow-up pathological studies.