Brain lesions following combined treatment with methotrexate and craniospinal irradiation

Eight patients with meningeal seeding by carcinoma or lymphomas were treated with intravenous (i.v.) and/or intrathecal (i.th.) Methotrexate (MTX). Seven patients received additional craniospinal irradiation and in all seven a fatal encephalopathy developed. On the bases of clinical and morphological findings we identified an acute and a delayed form of encephalopathy and concluded that the concurrent administration of Methotrexate and of craniospinal irradiation increases considerably the risk of brain damage.