The effect of steroids on the extravascular distribution of radiographic contrast material and technetium pertechnetate in brain tumors as determined by computed tomography.

The effect of dexamethasone on the accumulation of iothalamate and 99mTc pertechnetate in cerebral tumors was investigated in 6 patients over a five-month period. Patients were examined by x-ray (transmission) computed tomography (CT) and by radionuclide (emission) computed tomography (RCT) prior to and during a course of dexamethasone therapy. Stenosis diminished the degree of accumulation of both agents but did not change the boundaries of their distribution.