CT scan; the diagnostic value of the basal enhancement in tuberculous meningitis

ABSTRACT

To study the diagnostic value of basal enhancement on computed tomography [CT scan] in differentiating tuberculous [TBM] from pyogenic [PM] meningitis. Retrospective case control study. The Pediatric department in collaboration with the department of Radiology and Diagnostic imaging of Bahawal Victoria hospital, Bahawalpur. The reports of CT scan [contrast] done within 5 days of admission of children 4 month to 14 years of age with a diagnosis of either IBM [case group] or PM [control group] were analyzed for the basal enhancement. The sensitivity specificity PPV and NPV of basal enhancement in the diagnosis of TBM was 0.97,1,1 and 0.95 respectively. The presence of the basal enhancement on CT scan can effectively distinguish TBM from PM