Use of computerized tomography scanning in supratentorial arachnoid cysts. A report on 20 children and four adults.

Congenital supratentorial arachnoid cysts are large lesions that tend to cause severe distortion and compression of the brain, particularly in infants and children. Diagnosis of such cysts has often been delayed and uncertain in the past, but development of computerized tomography (CT) has greatly improved the ease and accuracy of their identification, helping to provide for earlier surgical treatment and better care of patients. The authors report 24 cases of congenital supratentorial arachnoid cysts, 18 of which were studied with CT scanning; this method proved very valuable in pre- and postoperative assessment in all cases, and far superior to other diagnostic methods.