[Delayed radiation necrosis of the temporal lobe following radiation therapy of maxillary carcinoma].

A case of delayed radiation necrosis following radiation therapy for maxillary carcinoma was reported. The diagnosis of this case for the radiation necrosis was clinically suggestive and established by the pathological findings of autopsy. This 66 year-old man had been treated by the partial resection for the right maxillary carcinoma with chemotherapy (pepleomycin 110 mg, adriamycin 20 mg). Pre- and postoperatively total dose of 5040 rads were irradiated with cobalt therapy during 42 days at a dose of 180 rads and 5 times in a week through two ports at 8 x 8 cm field including right orbital region. Three years 7 months after radiation therapy he complained of disorientation, recent memory disturbance and slight left hemiparesis. On enhanced CT irregular ring enhanced mass lesion was seen in left temporal lobe inside the radiation field with extensive low density over temporal lobe on plain CT. MR imaging demonstrated that T 1-weighted spin echo images with a 50-msec repetition time (TR) and 22-msec echo time (TE) had irregular low signal intensity and extensive high signal intensity combined with partially low intensity in the central area on T2 weighted spin echo images with 2300 msec TR and 100 msec TR. There were not appeared vascular obstruction and stenosis on right carotid angiogram. He improved remarkably on clinical symptoms and CT by treating of dexamethasone and osmotic diuretics, but died of pneumonia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)