[Cerebral changes shown by computed tomography in children with acute lymphatic leukemia after therapy]

The authors discuss the CT findings of the late brain damage by the radiochemotherapic treatment for the prophylaxis of meningeal leukemia in 50 patients, 1 divided by 15 years old. The more frequent CT findings are: enlargement of the subaracnoid spaces; ventricular dilatation; hypodensity of cerebral parenchima; calcifications. These findings correspond to two clinical and anatomo-pathological conditions: subacute leucoencephalopathy and mineralizing microangiopathy. A greater damage on central nervous system was demonstrated in younger children (5 years old) at the time of prophylaxis of meningeal leukemia, that were irradiated with NSD = 950 ret.