[Isolated cerebral calcifications after prophylactic treatment of cerebromeningeal involvement of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: relation of psycho-intellectual sequelae].

Intracranial calcifications were demonstrated by CT scan in 5 children after complete remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Initial treatment included prophylactic irradiation of central nervous system and intrathecal methotrexate. Behavioral abnormalities or learning difficulties were clinically apparent in all children at the time of the radiologic examination. Isolated intracranial calcifications represent one of possible cerebral sequelae that are to be found in 53% of children receiving treatment for ALL. No fine correlation between direct toxic effect of methotrexate or, post-radiation lesion, and neuro-psychological sequelae can be done. In an attempt to avoid some of this sequelae, suppression of cranial irradiation from ALL treatment protocols is now studied.