Computed Cranial Tomography in the Investigation of Acoustic Neurilemmomas

SUMMARY Computed Cranial Tomography (CT) was performed in 17 patients with 18 acoustic neurilemmomas. Fourteen of 15 (93%) tumours with diameters above 1.5 cm were detected. Smaller lesions are below the threshold of detection by this method with current technology. Intravenous contrast enhancement and meticulous technique are essential for diagnosis. An indirect sign of large cerebellopontine angle masses, distortion of the quadrigeminal plate-ambient cistern junction is described. The place of CT in the sequential pre-operative evaluation and post-operative management of patients with suspected cerebellopontine angle lesions is considered.