Role Of Computed Tomography And Magnetic Resonance Imaging In The Evaluation Of Supratentorial Brain Tumors: A Hospital-Based Prospective Cross-Sectional Study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/wxfhh727Keywords:
Supratentorial brain tumor, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, glioma, glioblastoma, meningioma, histopathology, diagnostic accuracy, neuroimagingAbstract
Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting and characterising supratentorial brain tumors, using histopathology as the reference standard.
Methods: This hospital-based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Katihar Medical College and Hospital, Katihar, over two and a half years. Fifty patients with suspected or confirmed supratentorial brain tumor underwent 16-slice multidetector CT and 1.5 Tesla MRI. Data were analysed using SPSS; chi-square tests and yield analysis were applied, with p < .05 considered significant.
Results: The mean age was 50.84 ± 17.43 years and 50% of patients were male. Most were from semi-urban areas (62%; χ²(2) = 20.92, p < .001). Headache with seizure (28%) and isolated seizure (26%) were the commonest presentations (χ²(4) = 4.20, p = .380). Astrocytoma, glioma and meningioma were equally common on histopathology (20% each; χ²(6) = 7.96, p = .241). MRI showed higher sensitivity (95.7% vs 90.9%) and accuracy (92% vs 84%) than CT; the difference in accuracy was not statistically significant (χ²(1) = 1.52, p = .218).
Conclusion: MRI was more accurate than CT for supratentorial brain tumors, although the difference was not statistically significant in this sample. CT remains a useful rapid first-line investigation.
Recommendation: MRI should be preferred for definitive characterisation wherever available, with CT retained for emergency assessment; larger multicentre studies are recommended.
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