Subacute radiation myelopathy in a 12-year-old boy.

Rapid onset over several days of a complete transverse myelopathy occurred 3 1/2 months after completion of mediastinal radiation for Hodgkin's disease in a 12-year-old boy. Postmortem examination revealed low cervical and high thoracic radiation myelopathy. The name "subacute radiation myelopathy" is proposed for this type of rapidly developing myelopathy.