Endocrine complications caused by cranial irradiation
Brauner, R.; Rappaport, R.
Annales de Pediatrie 36(7): 419-424
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-2097 PMID: 2817696 Document Number: 333230
Cranial irradiation has become one of the leading causes of growth hormone (GH) deficiency. The risk and time of onset of GH deficiency depend mainly on the dose delivered to the hypothalamo-pituitary region: GH deficiency is infrequent after doses under 20 grays and nearly constant after doses above 45 grays. For a given dose, a younger age at the time of irradiation and administration of the dose over a shorter time period increase the risk of GH deficiency. GH secretion can be adequately evaluated using rapid stimulation tests and is usually well correlated with growth, except in patients with radiation-induced precocious puberty or growth delay due to radiation-induced cartilage lesions.