ABSTRACT
Despite the advent of magnetic resonance (MR), conventional computed tomography (CT) remains a routine technique in the management of patients with cerebral neoplasms, not only for diagnosis and staging but also in treatment planning and the evaluation of treated patients for suspected recurrence. The success of these anatomical imaging modalities is based on the enhancement of neoplastic brain tissue with intravenously administered contrast material. An intact blood-brain barrier normally excludes the contrast medium from the brain, as its microvessel architecture allows only for the passage of small molecules through its tight junctions and narrow intracellular gaps. In contrast, tumor microvessels have incomplete basement membranes that are abnormally leaky to circulating molecules and contrast agents. The rate of transendothelial diffusion of contrast material is a reflection of the integrity of the microvessel wall.1
