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Irradiation of meningiomas of the intracranial anterior visual pathway
Author(s) -
Kupersmith Mark J.,
Warren Floyd A.,
Newall Joseph,
Ransohoff Joseph
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410210205
Subject(s) - radiation therapy , medicine , complication , meningioma , visual acuity , surgery , computed tomographic , nuclear medicine , radiology , computed tomography
Twenty patients with progressive visual loss caused by intracranial meningiomas involving the anterior visual pathway were treated with irradiation alone (n = 4) or with irradiation combined with tumor excision (n = 16). Improvement in visual performance occurred in 13 patients; 2 patients experienced temporary improvement; and 5 others maintained stable visual function for up to 9.5 years (mean follow‐up, 4.0 years). Radiotherapy seemed to have no effect in 2 patients. One patient experienced temporary improvement, but eventually died from spread of tumor. Only one definite complication of radiotherapy occurred and was related to excessive radiation dose (greater than 7,000 cGy). Irradiation in the range of 5,000 to 5,000 cGy was effective either alone or in combination with surgical excision. Serial assessment of visual acuity and fields allowed us to demonstrate and quantify improvement in our patients following radiotherapy; in contrast, follow‐up computed tomographic studies rarely demonstrated reduced tumor size.