The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Perusal \Pe*rus"al\, n. [From Peruse.]
   1. The act of carefully viewing or examining. [R.] --Tatler.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The act of reading, especially of reading through or with
      care. --Woodward.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

perusal
    n 1: reading carefully with intent to remember [syn: perusal,
         perusing, poring over, studying]