NEURORADIOLOGY OF LEUKEMIA

Patients with systemic leukemia, especially the acute leukemias, are a t an increased risk of developing disease of the CNS or head and neck, Such disease may take the form of direct leukemic involvement, may re sult from underlying leukemic effects on the immune or hematopoietic s ystems, or may result from antileukemic therapy. This review presents the imaging and clinical features of the spectrum of CNS and head and neck disease that may be encountered in patients with systemic leukemi a. An understanding of the role of radiology in the management of thes e patients is important to the practicing radiologist who is confronte d with a leukemic patient presenting with signs and symptoms of neurol ogic dysfunction.