Radiation induced tissue damage is an important but under recognized issue in neurology.\u00a0 Radiation therapy usually induces central nervous system pathology manifesting as “tumor” like lesions.<\/p>\n
Less recognized are disorders of the peripheral nervous system, which radiation therapy could also injure. \u00a0 \u00a0 In an upcoming issue of JNNP, Ghosh and Milone report an incidence of ~10% of radiation induced myopathy in a cohort of cancer patients.\u00a0 Interestingly the most common clinical manifestation was head drop, reflecting the area of radiation (neck and upper torso).\u00a0 EMG disclosed myopathic changes in axial muscles (which could be hard to interpret) while myopathy was evident in 50% of muscles on pathology.\u00a0 Of concern, RIM may be delayed as long as 15 years, and consequently a through history is required in all patients presenting with head drop to glean a history of radiation therapy.\u00a0 Clearly, radiation protocols need to be improved to prevent this debilitation side-effect.<\/p>\n
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Read more at:\u00a0 http:\/\/jnnp.bmj.com\/content\/early\/2014\/05\/16\/jnnp-2013-307447.abstract<\/p>\n
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Radiation induced tissue damage is an important but under recognized issue in neurology.\u00a0 Radiation therapy usually induces central nervous system pathology manifesting as “tumor” like lesions. Less recognized are disorders of the peripheral nervous system, which radiation therapy could also injure. \u00a0 \u00a0 In an upcoming issue of JNNP, Ghosh and Milone report an incidence […]<\/p>\n