Computed tomographic evaluation of therapeutic effects on brain tumors

Twenty-eight patients, including 6 cases of glioblastoma multiforme, 8 cases of non-GM glioma, 5 cases of brain metastasis, and 9 cases of other brain tumors, were evaluated with computed tomography (CT). The enhanced area (EA), the enhanced effect (EE), the peritumoral low-density area (LA), the mass effect (ME), and the ventricle dilatation (VD) were assessed using an effective index calculated by dividing the posttreatment volume (or score) with the initial pretreatment volume. It is suggested that this method would be useful for the evaluation of the treatment, for the neurological deterioration of the patient corresponds to the increase in the effective index. Furthermore, this preliminary study suggests that a correct presumption of the clinical prognosis and a correct selection of the treatment schedule can be done by analysing the effective index pattern described by plotting the effective index in various parameters with a posttreatment interval. (author)