[Influence of alpha-methyl-prednisolone on perifocal brain edema--CT observations in ten patients with circumscribed supratentorial brain tumours].

Under treatment of peritumoural brain oedema with 6-methyl-prednisolone, in most cases there are no significant density changes to be seen on the CT although there is undoubted clinical improvement. In order to get data for an optimal timing of pre-operative treatment with steroids we had to prove the effect of 6-methyl-prednisolone (Urbason, Hoechst) with intermittent measurements of the so-called CT "Region of interest" in always the same parts of the perifocal brain oedema for seven days pre-operatively. This study was carried out in ten patients with solitary supratentorial brain tumours. CT measurements on the first day without medication, continued with an initial dosage of 1000 mg Urbason, followed by 3 X 40 mg daily during the second to the fifth day, and finally on the seventh day after the steroid was stopped. In all cases we found increasing attenuation coefficients due to decreasing oedema with a peak on the fourth and fifth days.