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[Magnetic resonance imaging manifestations of radiation injury in brain stem and cervical spinal cord of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy].

AbstractBACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE:
It is very important to diagnose the radiation injury in brain stem and cervical spinal cord of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) manifestations of radiation encephalopathy have been widely reported, while those of radiation injury in brain stem and cervical spinal cord have been seldom reported. This study was to analyze the MRI characteristics of radiation injury in brain stem and cervical spinal cord of patients with NPC after radiotherapy.
METHODS:
MRI was performed in 60 NPC patients 6 months to 5 years after radiotherapy. The imaging sequences included T(1)-weighted image (T(1)WI), T2-weighted image (T(2)WI), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR). All patients received T(1)WI contrast-enhanced scanning.
RESULTS:
Of the 60 patients, 6 had lesions in cervical spinal cord, 54 had lesions in brain stem. Of the 54 cases of radiation injury in brain stem, most lesions located in pons (20 cases), basis pons and medulla oblongata (26 cases), others located in mesencephalon (3 cases), medulla oblongata (5 cases). All lesions showed hypo- or iso-intense signal on T(1)WI, and hyper-intense signal on T(2)WI. After contrast-enhanced scanning, 11 cases (18.3%) had no enhancement; 49 (81.7%) markedly enhanced with 21 cases (42.9%) of homogenous patchy enhancement, and 28 cases (57.1%) of hetergenerous ringed and patchy enhancement.
CONCLUSION:
MRI shows clearly the radiation injury in brain stem and cervical spinal cord of NPC patients after radiotherapy.
AuthorsTing Song, Bi-Ling Liang, Sui-Qiao Huang, Bang-Kun Xie, Zhong-Xiang Ding, Jun Shen
JournalAi zheng = Aizheng = Chinese journal of cancer (Ai Zheng) Vol. 24 Issue 3 Pg. 357-61 (Mar 2005) China
PMID15757542 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)
Topics
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Stem (pathology, radiation effects)
  • Cervical Vertebrae
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (radiotherapy)
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiation Injuries (diagnosis)
  • Radiotherapy (adverse effects)
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Spinal Cord (pathology, radiation effects)

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