Central nervous system complications in childhood leukemia. Correlation between clinical and computed tomographic findings.

We used cranial computed tomography (CT) to evaluate 51 leukemic patients with or without central nervous system (CNS) symptoms. Among 17 symptomatic patients, nine had gross abnormalities on CT scans; leukemic infiltrations, infections (CNS aspergillosis), hemorrhages, and therapy-related complications were all evident. One with a leukemic infiltration showed a periventricular low density on the CT scans. The differential diagnosis of CT findings and the correlation between clinical and CT findings is described. The significance of a low-density area observed in an asymptomatic patient on long-term intrathecal methotrexate therapy for CNS leukemia is also discussed.