CT SCAN FINDINGS IN CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASE: A LOCAL EXPERIENCE

Objective: To determine the frequency of various CT scan findings in cerebrovascular disease patients at Post GraduateMedical Institute, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted at the Radiology Department of Hayatabad MedicalComplex, Peshawar over a period of twelve months (from June 2007 to May 2008). Adult patients of either sexsuffering from stroke and referred for CT scan examination of the brain, were included in the study. Various CT scanfindings were noted.Results: Out of 100 patients, 70 were male and 30 were female. Majority of patients, (n=45) were in the age range of51-60 years. Twenty seven patients were known hypertensive and 17 patients were diabetic. On CT scan, cerebralinfarction was found in 85 cases and cerebral hemorrhage was found in 15 cases. Among the cases with infarction,right temporo-parietal region was most commonly involved (n=13, 5.29%), while right basal ganglia (n=4, 26.66%) ismost commonly involved in patients with hemorrhagic stroke. Other regions of the brain are involved less frequently.Conclusion: CT scan of brain showed that Ischemic stroke is more common than hemorrhagic stroke. Right temporoparietalregion was the most common area of infarction. In the hemorrhagic group, the right basal ganglia wasinvolved in the majority of cases. Stroke is more common in males and diabetes mellitus and hypertension are riskfactors for stroke.