RELIABILITY OF PLAIN X-RAY AND COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF INVASIVE TUMORS OF THE SCALP

The reliability of plain X-ray and computed tomography (CT) in the dia gnosis of a penetrating tumor of the scalp to the calvarium was examin ed on the basis of the histopathologic reports following surgery. The correlation of other tumor characteristics, such as size, ulceration, duration and previous excisions or irradiation to the skull, with calv arial invasion was also studied. Of the 29 scalp tumors suspected clin ically of invasion, four were proven histopathologically as penetratin g to the bone. Only two of the four tumors diagnosed by plain X-ray of the skull as penetrating to the bone, and two of the six so diagnosed by CT, were histopathologically substantiated. No statistical correla tion was found between the radiologic reports and the histopathology r elating to the diagnosis of calvarial invasion by scalp tumor. The oth er tumor characteristics also did not correlate statistically with inv asion. We conclude that the radiologic reports of plain X-ray and CT c oncerning penetration to the calvarium by scalp tumor are not reliable . In addition, there are no other tumor characteristics that correlate with histopathological penetration.