Correlation between computerized transaxial tomography and radionuclide cistemography in dementia

A study of the findings on cistemograms and computerized transaxial tomography (CTT) of 44 patients showed good correlation between the two tests. Patients with a cistemographic pattern of communicating hydrocephalus tended to show more severe degrees of lateral ventricular dilatation, with involvement of the third and fourth ventricles and relative sparing of the cerebral sulci. Patients with a cistemographic pattern of cerebral atrophy showed lesser degrees of lateral ventricular dilatation and more severe degrees of dilatation of the cerebral sulci. The statistical significance of the individual CTT findings in these patients is presented, and a scheme for interpretation is proposed. The study shows that CTT can replace pneumoencephalography in evaluating patients with dementia, while cisternography contributes complementary information.