The peripheral zone of increase density in cranial computed tomography.

The band of increased attenuation seen on in vivo CCT images of adults, frequently designated as the cerebral cortex, has been proved clinically and experimentally to be an artifact in the reconstructed image. Recognition of this artifact may be of help in identifying intracranial lesions, such as shallow subdural hematomas. Attenuation values of isolated cortex and white matter were also studied and do not account for the band of high attenuation.