CT diagnosis of cerebrovascular disorders--a review.

During the past few years CT has emerged as an unsurpassed diagnostic modality in cerebrovascular disease. CT is of limited value in TIA, but reveals a wide variety of findings in completed infarcts. Ischemic, petechial, and hemorrhagic infarcts can be distinguished. Contrast enhancement, varying with the age of the infarct, is frequent. Also the general density of the infarct varies with time. Differential diagnosis, primarily infarct vs tumor, is made by angiography or by followup CT scans. Saccular aneurysms are directly demonstrable by CT if larger than 0.5 cm in diameter. Sequelae of ruptured aneurysm--hematoma, hydrocephalus, ischemia--are consistently visible. This generally also applies to arteriovenous malformations. Angiography is necessary to clarify anatomical details of aneurysms and vascular malformations, and is often indispensable for differential diagnosis.