Neuroradiologic techniques in the evaluation of lesions of the skull base

Neuroradiologic evaluation of skull-base lesions should begin with an intravenously enhanced axial CT scan supplemented by direct coronal scans or multiplanar reconstructions. Intravenous or intrathecal enhancement techniques are modified to improve delineation of the lesion present. This role today is likely to be largely or completely superseded by magnetic resonance imaging as it becomes readily available. Not only does this latter technique show soft tissues better than x-ray CT, but it also shows large blood vessels well, even without contrast material. Bone detail, however, is much less optimally shown than on x-ray CT. With the thorough understanding of the technical possibilities and limitations of therapeutic embolizations, effective and safe examinations may be performed. Preoperative embolizations are important adjunctive measures in allowing vascular lesions to be resected as completely as possible.