[Computed tomography in metastatic brain tumors and meningeal carcinomatosis (author's transl)].

The computed tomogrpahy has been proved to be highly reliable in diagnosis of CNS diseases. The findings in 26 cases of metastatic brain tumors, and 2 cases of meningeal carcinomatosis performed with Hitachi CT-H scanner are analized. Metastatic tumors are seen on plain CT as mainly isodense nodules (60%). But, on enhanced CT, they increase in their density (97%). Larger nodules of metastatic tumors (over 2 cm in diameter) are tend to contain less dense central area, so called central cavitation. The direction of the expansion and/or extension of the perifocal low density is characteristic to the location of the tumor. In cases of meningeal carcinomatosis, diffuse periventricular higher density can be recognized enhanced CT.