[Temporary localized alopecia following neuroradiological procedures: 18 cases]

Area of Science:

• Interventional Neuroradiology
• Radiation Oncology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Endovascular procedures for cerebral lesions are standard care.
• Radiation-induced alopecia is a common complication of these procedures.
• A retrospective study investigated hair loss following cerebral arteriovenous malformation embolization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the circumstances and risk factors of radiation-induced alopecia.
• To analyze the cumulative radiation dose in patients experiencing alopecia.
• To investigate the relationship between radiation dose and hair regrowth.

Main Methods:

• Reviewed 35 patients reporting hair loss from 347 undergoing embolization (2008-2010).
• Included 18 patients with photographically documented alopecia.
• Calculated cumulative radiation doses from diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Main Results:

• 18 patients developed circumscribed alopecia 2-4 weeks post-embolization.
• Mean cumulative dose in the 3 months prior was 5 Gy (range: 2.5-12.3 Gy).
• Mean total cumulative dose was 7 Gy (range: 3.2-17 Gy).

Conclusions:

• 18 cases of radiation-induced alopecia after cerebral AVM procedures are described.
• Hair regrowth was observed even with doses up to 12 Gy, differing from prior data.
• Highlights the importance of cumulative radiation dose in interventional radiology.