Trigeminal nerve involvement in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia:: value of MR imaging

A 30-year-old male with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented with facial numbness, Neurological examination revealed paresthesia of the left trigeminal nerve. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology showed no atypical cells. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated enlargement and enhancement of intracranial portions of the left trigeminal nerve. The abnormal MR imaging findings almost completely resolved after the chemotherapy. Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging is not only a useful procedure for the early diagnosis of cranial nerve invasion by leukemia but it might be helpful to follow the changes after the treatment. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.