Thin-section CT of midbrain abnormalities in progressive supranuclear palsy

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1985 Sep-Oct;6(5):767-72.

Abstract

Thin-section computed tomographic (CT) scans of 3 and 1.5 mm thickness were obtained using the Philips Tomoscan 310 and General Electric 8800 CT/T scanners in the study of 10 consecutive patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and 31 patients with other diseases. Marked midbrain and moderate pontine atrophy, a dilated third ventricle, and enlarged quadrigeminal plate cisterns were observed in all PSP cases. The aqueduct was dilated in several. In six of the PSP cases, there was a striking midbrain abnormality in the form of a low-density area extending from the interpeduncular cistern toward the aqueduct. Thin-section metrizamide-enhanced cisternography of three of the six PSP cases showed that the low-density abnormality was the result of the interpeduncular cistern invaginating the atrophic midbrain.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Brain Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Diseases / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mesencephalon / diagnostic imaging*
  • Mesencephalon / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Paralysis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pons / diagnostic imaging
  • Pons / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*