BILATERAL FEMORAL NEUROPATHY AS LATE SEQU ELAE OF IRRADIATION

We report on two cases of irradiation-induced bilateral femoral neurop athy. In one case the lesion developed 18 years after irradiation of u terine cancer and in the second 14 years after irradiation of an abdom inal type of Hodgkin's disease. In both cases the first presenting sym ptoms were spontaneous motor activity like myokymias in the quadriceps muscle with corresponding changes in EMG, and, in case 1, moderate we akness of the quadriceps muscle, and in case 2 of the ileopsoas muscle (development during follow-up). Both patients showed only slow deteri oration during follow-up and mild functional disability. In the second case with high femoral lesion we observed an unusual dissociated atro phy mainly in the rectus femoris part of the quadriceps muscle.