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Radiation-induced temporal lobe changes: CT and MR imaging characteristics.
V F Chong1, Y F Fan, S K Mukherji
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital.
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|August 1, 2000
Summary
Temporal lobe changes after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma have distinct CT and MR imaging features. Recognizing these patterns helps differentiate radiation injury from tumor recurrence.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Oncology
- Neurology
Background:
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment often involves radiation therapy.
- Radiation therapy can cause secondary changes in the temporal lobes.
- Differentiating these changes from tumor recurrence is critical for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the CT and MR imaging characteristics of temporal lobe changes following radiation for NPC.
- To identify imaging features that distinguish radiation-induced changes from intracranial tumor recurrence.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 1916 patients with NPC over 5 years.
- Analysis of imaging (CT and MR) in 47 patients with temporal lobe changes.
- Categorization of lesions by location, gray/white matter involvement, and late change patterns.
Main Results:
- CT showed unilateral (35%) and bilateral (65%) temporal lobe changes, often with ill-defined enhancement (79%).
- MR imaging revealed unilateral (42%) and bilateral (58%) lesions, frequently affecting both gray and white matter (65%).
- Cerebral atrophy and encephalomalacia were observed in a small percentage of patients.
Conclusions:
- Temporal lobe radiation injury exhibits characteristic CT and MR imaging findings.
- Familiarity with these imaging features aids in distinguishing radiation effects from NPC recurrence.