QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CEREBRAL ATROPHY DURING AND AFTER TREATMENT IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. The authors evaluate quantitatively brain at rophy induced by central nervous system prophylaxis in children treate d for acute lymphoblastic leukemia during and after therapy completion . METHODS. Measurements of the width of the subarachnoid compartments were performed in 243 brain computed tomography (CT) examinations of 1 96 children examined during (125) and/or after (71) treatment for acut e lymphoblastic leukemia without central nervous system involvement. D ata were compared with normative data. RESULTS. Diffuse brain atrophy was observed in 74% and 65% of the CT examinations performed during an d after cessation of treatment, respectively, The highest incidence of brain atrophy (78%) occurred during the administration of intrathecal chemotherapy, All children younger than 2 years of age exhibited brai n atrophy. CONCLUSIONS. Brain atrophy is the principal CT finding in t he majority of children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and i t can be attributed mainly to intrathecal chemotherapy, This finding c an be observed long after therapy completion.