CT and MR Findings of Cavernous Sinus Lesionst

PURPOSE: To classify the cavernous sinus lesions, to describe their radiological findings, and to assess the usefulness of MR compared to CT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fourty-five patients with lesions involving the cavernous sinus proved by histological and/or clinical and imaging methods were studied retrospectively and classified into neoplastic, vascular, and inflammatory lesions. CT and MR findings were compared in 21 patients evaluated by both modalities simultaneously according to these 4 categories. RESULTS: Pitiutary macroadenoma was the most common cavernous sinus lesion(42%). Diffuse convex bulging of the lateral wall of cavernous sinus was the most frequent radiological finding(84%), and the others were encasement of the cavernous carotid artery(49%), remodelling of the surrounding bones(44%), and complete obliteration of Meckel's cave(38%), in descending order of frequency. Bulging of the lateral wall of cavernous sinus was equally well demonstrated on both modalities, but encasement or displacement of the cavernous carotid artery and complete or partial obliteration of Meckel's cave were much better delineated on MR than on CT with the ratio of 3.8:1 and 4.6: 1, respectively. Only bone changes were much better demonstrated on CTthan on MR with the ratio of 3.8: 1. CONCLUSION: MR issuperior to CTin demonstrating thecavernouscarotid artery encasement and obliteration of Meckel's cave, but CT is much better than MR in demonstrating bone changes.

MR Findings of Cerebral Palsy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MR findings of brain damage in cerebral palised patients and to correlate it with gestational age and the time of damage. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed in 40 patients who underwent MR scanning for evaluation of brain lesion in clinically diagnosed cerebral palsy. Authors classified the patients into two groups as premature and full-term and compared MR findings of the two groups. RESULTS: Abnormal MR findings were noted in 28 cases (70%). Five out of 6 patients who had been born prematurely showed isolate periventricular white matter lesions. Twenty-three out of 34 patients who had been born at full-term showed abnormal MR findings. Of these 23 patients, migration anomalies in 7 patients, isolate periventricular white matter lesions in 3 patients, and other combined periventricular subcortical white matter and deep gray matter lesions in 14 patients were seen. At least, 10 patients(43%) of full term group showed abnormal MRI findings reflecting intrauterine brain damage and all 5 patients of premature group showed isolate periventricular white matter lesions suggesting immaturity of brain. CONCLUSION: MRI is thought to be very useful in the assessment of brain damage for the patients with cerebral palsy by recognizing the location of the lesion and estimating the time of damage.