Late radiation injury following hyperfractionated craniospinal radiotherapy for primitive neuroectodermal tumor

Purpose: To document the late radiographic change following hyperfractionat ed craniospinal radiotherapy for primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Methods and Materials: We reviewed long-term MRI scans on 21 patients with standard risk and high risk primtive neuroectodermal tumor treated with hyp erfractionated radiotherapy following surgical resection, High risk patient s also received adjuvant chemotherapy, Long-term scans were defined as scan obtained at least 1 year from diagnosis. Clinical follow-up data was avail able on all patients. Results: Twelve of 21 patients had MRI evidence of necrosis, telangiectasia , white matter changes, basal ganglia change, or cerebral atrophy consisten t with radiation injury. No patient required treatment for the radiographic change. Conclusions: Slightly over half of the patients had evidence of long-term r adiation effect following craniospinal axis radiotherapy, However, no patie nt had frank clinical symptoms related to the radiographic findings. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science Inc.