title: Cranial computertomography in children with acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) and non Hodgkin-lymphoma (NHL) after different methods of CNS-treatment.
abstract: 42 children with acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) were subjected to cranial computer tomography (CT). 4 groups were formed according to CNS therapy. Group 1: 18 children in complete first remission after CNS prophylaxis with intrathecal 198 Au-colloid and methotrexate were examined between 3 1/2 and 7 1/3 years after beginning of therapy. 15 patients had normal computer tomograms, only 3 children had slight anomalies. The quantitative assessment of the computer tomograms yielded normal results for all 18 children. Group 2: 8 children were examined before CNS prophylaxis. 1 child had a connatal septum pellucidum cyst, 4 children had no anomalies and 3 children slight anomalies. The deviations from normal in groups 1 and 2 should be physiological variations. Group 3: 6 children were examined between 10 months and 8 1/4 years after termination of prophylactic CNS-irradiation (18-22.5 Gy) in combination with intrathecal methotrexate. Normal findings were obtained for 2 patients only. The other children had distinct cortical, subcortical or cerebellar atrophies and calcification of stem ganglia. Neurological complications had temporarily appeared in one child after skull irradiation. Group 4: A CT was made of 10 children during or after meningosis leukemia. The children who had received 198 Au-colloid for CNS prophylaxis yielded no pathological CT results. Distinct cortical, subcortical and cerebellar atrophies or calcification of stem ganglia were found in children after one or two CNS irradiations. These CT investigations confirm the results published by other authors, i.e. that owing to an irradiation--cytostatic therapy of the children's brains CNS lesions can be found in the CT. Their prognosis can only be determined by longterm observations. CNS prophylaxis by means of intrathecal 198 Au-colloid and methotrexate does not lead to any pathological CT anomalies.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006048:Gold Colloid, Radioactive / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000628:therapy*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D006048:Gold Colloid, Radioactive; D008727:Methotrexate