title: Late appearance of dropped head syndrome after radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: We present three cases of dropped head syndrome that occurred as a complication of mantle field (i.e., lymph nodes of the neck, axillae, and mediastinum) or whole-body radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease. These cases are characterized by a late onset (2-27 years after radiation treatment), fibrosis, and contraction of the anterior cervical muscles, and atrophy of the posterior neck and shoulder girdle. This report adds to the increasing literature about the late neurological complications of radiation therapy and describes a previously unrecognized cause of dropped head syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, University of Illinois at Chicago, Neuropsychiatric Institute (MC 796), Chicago, Illinois 60612-7330, USA. rowin@uic.edu
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rowin
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Matthew N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Meriggioli
mesh_terms: D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013995:Time