CT SCANNING AND NEURO-DEGENERATIVE DISEASES IN CHILDREN

CT scanning has for the first time given an objective means of assessing the changes in gray, and particularly white matter degenerative diseases in infants and children. Patients with adrenoleukodystrophy, metachromatic leukodystrophy, juvenile ceroid-lipofuscinosis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and disseminated necrotizing leukoencephalopathy all have been studied. Some of these patients have had serial scanning to follow the evolution of the cerebral lesion. Correlation with enzymes, brain biopsy, skin biopsy, as well as clinical and electroencephalographic examinations have been made. CT scanning has given objective quantitative confirmation of white and gray matter degenerative changes, and in the appropriate clinical context, has allowed distinction of specific progressive neuro-degenerative diseases in childhood. In several instances initial evaluation with CT scanning has determined the proper subsequent biopsy and enzyme studies.