BRAIN ATROPHY IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING SYSTEMIC CHEMOTHERAPY FOR EXTRACRANIAL SOLID TUMORS

It has been shown that intrathecal chemotherapy may cause brain damage , which can be depicted in neuroimaging studies. The aim of this work was to examine possible morphologic alterations in the brain of childr en with extracranial solid tumors, without CNS complications, treated With systemic chemotherapy. Brain CT images of 69 children with extrac ranial malignancies were reviewed and the extent of 12 CSF compartment s was measured in 49 CT examinations performed during intravenously gi ven chemotherapy and in 20 after therapy completion. Measurements were compared with corresponding normative data. About hall of the childre n undergoing chemotherapy and half of the patients examined after trea tment were found to have diffuse brain atrophy. Focal lesions that mig ht be associated with therapy toxicity were not observed. Chemotherapy , even when administered via the systemic route, may cause brain damag e, which is observed long after the end of treatment. (C) 1997 Wiley-L iss, Inc.