Beginning around 1970, CT scans, or computer axial tomagraphy scans, became a popular imaging tool. They were particularly helpful when imaging areas of the body such as the brain that were otherwise inaccessible. With this new capability, abnormalities that could only be revealed through highly invasive brain surgery became readily apparent.
Brain Tumors
CT scans are used in diagnosing certain brain tumors. As MedlinePlus points out, they are not the sole diagnostic tool for brain tumors because an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is better in some instances. MayoClinic.com adds that CT scans are better at scanning areas near bone, so they may be more helpful in imaging tumors near the skull. In some instances, CT scans are used to guide surgeons performing a brain biopsy.
Stroke
Abnormal CT scans can also indicate a stroke. According to the Internet Stroke Center, they are one of the first tests done when a patient appears in the ER with a possible stroke. CT scans can determine whether the stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke is caused by insufficient blood flow, whereas a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a ruptured blood vessel.
Cerebral Aneurysm
A cerebral aneurysm involves a ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain. A cerebral aneurysm is asymptomatic unless it ruptures, at which point it is often fatal. According to MedlinePlus, cerebral aneurysms are found prior to rupture when a CT scan is performed for another reason.
Subdural Hematoma
Other vascular abnormalities that can be found on a CT scan include subdural hematomas, which occur when old blood, usually from an injury, pools together with new blood in the space between the inner skull and the brain. The resulting pressure on the brain can be drained off surgically.
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