Acute toxicity due to early brain irradiation (Q101014)

Acute toxicity from therapeutic cranial irradiation can occur during or up to a month after radiotherapy has commenced. The clinical features include headaches, nausea, changes in mental state and symptoms suggestive of raised intracranial pressure due to cerebral oedema. Other features include somnolence and memory disturbance. Diagnosis may be confirmed by neuroimaging which demonstrates cerebral oedema which may be steroid responsive.