[X-ray diagnosis and surgical treatment of brain tumors in young children].

Among 319 patients under the age of three years with tumors of the brain verified by means of contrast X-ray examination, during operation, or on autopsy, 215 had undergone surgery (166 with tumor of the posterior cranial fossa and 84 with tumor of supratentotial localization). From analysis of 176 cases in which X-ray contrast methods of examination were applied it was established that the method is safe and yields sufficient information for making the topic diagnosis of the tumor, determining its blood supply, its relation to the system of the cerebrospinal fluid and for judging the degree of the concomitant internal hydrocephalus and occlusion of the cerebrospinal fluid passages. In addition, these methods help to solve problems of the techniques of surgical intervention or the contraindications for operations. Analysis of the results of 250 operations shows that when the child's condition and the localization of the tumor permit, the surgeon should strive to perform single-stage subtotal or total removal of the tumor because this does not increase postoperative mortality.