[The thymus in children with brain tumors]

The thymus of 27 children dying with tumors of the central nervous system was studied, most attention being paid to the state of the reticuloepitheilum. Gassal bodies, the presence of pironinophilic cells and lymphoid follicles. The therapy given and the presence of intercurrent infectious diseases were taken into consideration. Morphometry of Gassal bodies followed by statistical treatment of the results was done. The regularity of morphological lesions was found. In the first group of the patients given no specific treatment, the response of the reticuloepithelium to the antigenic stimulation was mostly quite moderate. In the second group where the patients had been operated on and given roentgen and chemotherapy, marked changes in the thymus morphology were observed. In 3 cases of the second group, in addition, lymphoid follicles were found in lobules of the gland.