[en] A 39-year-old man had received Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) in 1987 for a Grade II Astrocytoma. He gradually exacerbated and received a second operation in 1994. The mass taken in the second operation is almost competent with radiation necrosis. Following that, he shows no signs of recurrence. Currently, he has returned to full time employment in physical labor. This case suggests effectiveness of BNCT for rather low-grade astrocytomas. (author)

[en] Recent advances of CT have given us a great deal of facility and accuracy in the diagnosis of head injuries. Epidural hematomas should be dealt with quickly, but sometimes the examination might be too early to allow dicision for operation. For the diagnosis of subdural and intracerebral hematomas, repeated examinations are useful and necessary. The full extent of CT scans should be done to avoid the misdiagnosis of posterior fossa and vertex hematomas. Routine X-ray examinations are also helpful in such cases. It is better to perform contrast enhancement scans when the clinical states do not agree with CT findings. The usefulness of CT scans in peculiar cases such as hematoma in the midbrain, traumatic carotid occulusion and transorbital penetrating injury is also discussed. (author)

[en] Boron-neutron capture therapy and photon (⁶⁰Co, lineac) therapy were compared in 146 cases of glioma, meningioma, and sarcoma. The former was undergone in 44 cases and the latter in 102 cases. In grade III and IV glioma (glioblastoma) according to WHO classification, photon therapy group survived an average of 12.9 months, and all of the 41 patients died within 3.9 years. In slow neutron capture therapy group, 5 of 18 patients are alive. This group survived an average of more than 17.8 months and the maximal survival length has exceeded 8 years and 6 months. In grade II supratentorial glioma, the photon group survived an average of 37 months, and neutron capture therapy group survived an average of more than 36 months. However, 80% of the former already died and 80% of the latter are alive. In glioma of the pons and the medulla oblongata, all of the 16 patients of the photon group died after survived an average of 8 months, but neutron capture therapy group survived an average of more than 18 months, the maximal survival length being 4 years and 6 months. Although the cases were a few, slow neutron capture therapy gave favorable results in rhabdomyosarcoma and chondrosarcoma. (Ueda, J.)

[en] A case of corvical hourglass tumor diagnosed by computed tomography was reported. Compared with the conventional myelography which could depict the cerebrospinal space only, the computed tomography is able to delineate a spinal tumor itself and its paraspinal extention. Neurological knowledge is indispensable for the precise diagnosis of the spinal tumors using a computed tomography to eliminate excess exposures. (author)