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White matter changes on magnetic resonance imaging following whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate white matter (WM) abnormalities induced by WBRT.

Materials and methods

Twenty-four patients (11 men and 13 women; age range 38–74 years, median 60 years) who survived for more than 1 year after completion of WBRT (radiation dose range 30–40 Gy, median 35 Gy) at our institution between January 2000 and June 2003 were followed up with magnetic resonance (MR) scans for 11–51 months (median 19 months). We evaluated WM changes attributable to WBRT as grade 0–6 and assessed possible contributing factors by statistical analysis.

Results

WM changes were found in 20 patients: Eight were assessed as grade 2, three as grade 3, and nine as grade 5. In total, 12 patients developed grade 3 or higher WM changes. Age (<60 vs ≥60 years), sex, radiation dose (≤35 vs >35 Gy), chemotherapy (with CDDP vs without CDDP), biologically effective dose (≤120 vs >120 Gy1), and head width (<16.3 vs ≥16.3 cm) were found not to be relevant to the incidence or severity of the WM changes.

Conclusion

Long-term survivors who have under-gone WBRT may have a higher incidence of WM abnormalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hyogo Medical Center for Adults, 13-70 Kitaojicho, Akashi, 673-8558, Japan

    Osamu Fujii, Kayoko Tsujino, Toshinori Soejima, Eisaku Yoden & Yukako Ichimiya

  2. Division of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan

    Kazuro Sugimura

Authors
  1. Osamu Fujii
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  2. Kayoko Tsujino
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  3. Toshinori Soejima
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  4. Eisaku Yoden
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  5. Yukako Ichimiya
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  6. Kazuro Sugimura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Osamu Fujii.

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Cite this article

Fujii, O., Tsujino, K., Soejima, T. et al. White matter changes on magnetic resonance imaging following whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases. Radiat Med 24, 345–350 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-006-0039-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-006-0039-9

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