All issues > Volume 34(10); 1991

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1991;34(10):1409-1416. Published online October 31, 1991.

The value of computerized axial tomography of the brain in children with central nervous system disorders.

Young Gyun Lee¹, Dae Sung Hwang¹, Kwang Soo Oh¹, Hyang Seuk Yoon¹, Jong Duck Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iri, Korea

Received: April 10, 1991;  Accepted: June 28, 1991.

Abstract

The introduction of computerized tomography (CT), a diagnostic method, has revolutionized the evaluation of neurologic disorders in children. And it provides a noninvasive, safe, and rapid diagnosis of intracranial pathology. CT scanning was performed on 126 children with neurologic symptoms who had admitted to department of pediatrics, Wonkwang University Hospital, from January 1986 to June 1990. Our study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of the CT scanning in the medical evaluation of above patients. The results were as follows; 1) Of the 126 patients, 34 percent had abnormal CT findings. 2) Of the 43 (34%) patients who had abnormal CT scans, 9 had cerebral atrophy, 8 had hydroce- phalus, 5 had cerebrovascular disorder, each 4 had brain tumor and porencephaly, respectively. 3) The incidence of abnormal CT scans according to chief complaints was high in large head, growth and mental retardation, whereas low in seizure, visual disturbance and headache. 4) Multivariate analysis with statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used to determine which factors were most strongly related to the abnormal CT findings. Among 4 variables including age, chief complaints, final diagnosis and sex, the age was most significant factor to predict abnormal CT scans. 5) Brain CT was valuable in diagnosis of tumor, vascular lesion, hydrocephalus and subdural hygroma.

Keywords :Brain CT;Central Nervous System Disorder