Intracranial CT abnormality associated with childhood leukemia

We showed three abnormal CT findings of childhood leukemia. Case 1: A 3-year-old boy was found to have acute lymphocytic leukemia in January, 1980. Following prophylactic skull irradiation totaling 2,300 rad and 30 mg of intrathecal methotrexate, he was treated with oral and intravenous methotrexate (10-15 mg once weekly, totaling 2,035 mg). CT taken 2 years and 3 months after the onset showed fine, high-density spots in the left frontal, temporal, and bilateral parietal subcortical regions, without any contrast enhancement. The high-density spots were diagnosed as parenchymal calcification induced by the irradiation and methotrexate therapy. Case 2: A 5-year-old boy complaining of anemia and fever was diagnosed as having acute myelocytic leukemia and was treated with VAMP and DCVP. In March, 1982, he complained of severe headache, nausea, and vomiting 4.5 years after his onset. There were no neurological deficits nor any nuchal stiffness. A lumbar puncture showed increasing pressure of CSF over 250 mm H2O and a pleocytosis of the myeloblasts. CT showed an enhanced high-density mass in the pineal region and hydrocephalus. He improved and showed a normal CT after treatment with skull irradiation of 2,400 rad and four intraventricular injections of 15 mg methotrexate, 30 mg cytosine arabinoside, and 15 mg hydrocortisone via Ommaya's reservoir. Case 3: A 14-year-old boy who had suffered from acute lymphocytic leukemia, associated with meningeal infiltration, for 2 years and 10 months, complained of headache, disturbance of consciousness, and focal convulsion of the left upper limb in December, 1982. CT demonstrated multiple, round, high-density areas in the cerebral hemispheres. Those high-density areas were diagnosed as intracerebral leukemic masses and/or hemorrhages. After 1400 rad of skull irradiation and steroid therapy, the patient rallied shortly, but then expired. An autopsy was refused. (J.P.N.)