The Use of Cranial Computed Tomography in Pshychiatry
The invention of computed tomography (CT) afforded a safe, non-invasive tool for examining the intracranial contents. It has soon become the most frequently used neuroradiological method. Thanks to its well established value in diagnoses and management of space-occupying lesions, cranial CT has largely replaced invasive and uncomfortable diagnostic procedures. This paper reviews the available literature data on cranial CT. The results of the pilot analysis done in our institution in 1994 provided some practical guidelines for the use of cranial CT in management of psychiatric patients. When use in addition to physical examination (mental and somatic status) and psychological testing for determining cognitive impairment, cranial CT is a valuable technique for differentiating between »organic« and »endogenous« causes for mental disorders. Both treatment and prognosis depend on these findings.