A contribution to the rapid diagnosis of subdural empyema.

The authors report their experience with CT scanning ina series of 4 cases of subdural empyema, over a period of 10 months; all the patients were male, aged 16 to 25 years. A review of the literature shows that this disease, in spite of the large variety and efficacy of the available antibiotics, is marked by a significant mortality and morbidity rate if the diagnosis is delayed. Study of the cases reported here, as well as those in the literature, attests that CT scanning of the brain is nowadays the method of choice for early diagnosis of these lesions, and for timing of appropriate intervention according to variations in the development stage of the suppuration. From the study of this series of cases, it is clear that in the future, CT scanning of the brain will certainly allow the hope of a greater survival rate and an appreciable decrease in morbidity in cases of subdural empyema.