Leukoencephalopathy
Pronunciation: LOO-koh-en-SEF-ah-lop-ah-thee
Damage to the brain's white matter, often appearing as treatment-related complications in neuro-oncology patients.
Full Definition
Leukoencephalopathy refers to damage or disease affecting the white matter of the brain, characterized by demyelination and tissue changes visible on magnetic resonance imaging. In neuro-oncology, this condition commonly develops as a late effect of radiation therapy or chemotherapy treatment. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) represents a specific infectious variant that may occur in immunocompromised cancer patients. The condition manifests as confluent white matter abnormalities on FLAIR and T2-weighted images and can significantly impact cognitive function and quality of life. Editors should recognize this as both a treatment complication and differential diagnosis in brain tumor patients.
Usage
Usage note: May be treatment-related or infectious; requires differentiation from tumor progression.
In Context
- "Follow-up MRI revealed progressive leukoencephalopathy consistent with radiation-induced white matter changes." — Neuroimaging report
- "The patient developed cognitive decline secondary to treatment-related leukoencephalopathy." — Neurology consultation