Serial brain CT in corticobasal degeneration: radiological and pathological correlation of two autopsy cases

This report concerns serial brain computed tomography (CT) images in two patients with corticobasal degeneration (CBD). The diagnosis of CBD was confirmed by neuropathological examination. In one case, we obtained serial brain CT images for one year and five months, and in the other, for three years and four months. The CT images showed that the anterior portions of the cerebrum atrophied progressively with the length of the disease. This was also seen in the CT images with respect to the caudate nucleus. Regarding radiological and pathological correlations, we consider that the progressive atrophy of the anterior portions of the cerebrum, seen in brain CT images, is ascribed to neuronal loss and gliosis in the anterior portions of the cerebrum. We also believe that the observed caudate nucleus atrophy is due to loss of neurons and gliosis in this structure, and also to the fibrillary gliosis of the cerebral white matter. The progressive atrophy of the caudate nucleus detected in brain CT is a valuable feature for the neuroradiological diagnosis of CBD.