Brain Scans in Neoplastic Intracranial Lesions

Authors:
  • MOMarvin C. Overton
    Marvin C. Overton
  • SSSamuel R. Snodgrass
    Samuel R. Snodgrass
  • THThomas P. Haynie
    Thomas P. Haynie
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Abstract
The results of scintiscanning a large group of patients having neurological signs and symptoms have been reviewed and correlated with the results of other investigators utilizing a radioactive mercury compound to detect intracranial neoplasms. The analysis was based on the first 100 consecutive tumors encountered, of which 77% were positively localized. Although some attenuation of chlormerodrin Hg 197 was noticed, it did not affect the clinical reliability of the agent when compared to chlormerodrin Hg 203. Prominent factors in the detection of a lesion were size, location, and vascularity. Meningiomas and gliomas were detected with an equal frequency of 86%, while metastatic lesions were localized in 82% of the cases. Poorest detection was found in a miscellaneous group (42%), one half of which were in the region of the sella. The brain scan and arteriogram localized the lesion in 84% of the cases. Air contrast studies maintained the highest percentage (95%) of diagnostic accuracy.