title: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of Carmofur-induced leukoencephalopathy.
abstract: Carmofur (1-hexylcarbamyl-5-fluorouracil), a derivative of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has been widely used in Japan as a postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy agent for colorectal and breast cancer. Periventricular hyperintensity on T2-weighted MR images in carmofur-induced leukoencephalopathy confront the physician with a broad range of differential diagnoses. We describe two cases of carmofur-induced leukoencephalopathy in which diffusion-weighted MR imaging revealed periventricular hyperintensity. We compared their findings with those of age-related periventricular hyperintensity in five patients and found discrepancies in signal intensity of periventricular areas. Our results suggest that diffusion-weighted MR imaging may be useful to differentiate carmofur-induced leukoencephalopathy from age-related periventricular hyperintensity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kyorin University, 6-20-2, Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan. akfujikawa@aol.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katase
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurosaki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hachiya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004058:Diffusion; D004678:Encephalomalacia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C017367:carmofur; D005472:Fluorouracil