title: Delayed radiation encephalopathy after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer: a CT study of 45 cases.
abstract: The CT features of 45 cases of delayed radiation encephalopathy (including radiation necrosis) following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma are reported. The brain lesions were uni- or bilateral and involved mainly the white matter and subsequently the gray matter of the lower portion of the brain included within the portals of irradiation and its vicinity. The lesions were edematous and hypodense on CT and showed postcontrast enhancement in 50% of the cases. Within the period of follow-up (1-5 years), the lesions showed remissions and exacerbations and in some cases stabilized. In addition, there was progressive cerebral atrophy, manifesting itself mainly as dilatation of the temporal horns, the neighboring cisterns, and sylvian fissures. In some cases that were followed for a long time, the cerebral lesions showed either foci of calcification or encephalomalacia and/or porencephaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: L Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: S X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004678:Encephalomalacia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000528:radiation effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones