Imaging of Neurologic Complications in Hematologic Disorders

Sangam Kanekar, MD, Editor

Hematologic disorders often affect the central and peripheral nervous systems in a number of different ways, producing a wide range of neurologic symptoms. Some of these neurologic complications are well described, but others are less clearly defined and are mostly diagnosed on cross-section imaging like CT and MRI. Recent advances in oncology therapy have greatly improved the prognosis of patients with hematologic neoplasms. This has also resulted in an increased incidence of associated complications and toxic effects due to a longer term of survival of these patients.

Clinically, due to nonspecific presentation, central nervous system (CNS) complications are underdiagnosed. These complications may include hemorrhage; cerebral infarction; infiltration of the meninges, parenchyma, bone marrow, orbit, and spine. In addition, there may be CNS complications due to therapy; for example, radiation therapy–related white matter disease, mineralizing microangiopathy, parenchymal brain volume loss, radiation-induced cryptic vascular malformations, and secondary neoplasms.

I, along with my coauthors, present before you an issue of Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America dedicated to “Imaging of Neurologic Complications in Hematologic Disorders.” This issue has in total twelve articles, predominately dedicated to the imaging findings of neurologic complications in benign conditions and hematologic neoplasms. We conclude that imaging along with clinical suspicion plays an important role in early diagnosis of these complications and in turn will help in appropriate intervention.

I thank all the authors for their superexcellent contributions that make this issue an outstanding and extensive review on “Imaging of Neurologic Complications in Hematologic Disorders.” I take this opportunity to thank Drs George P. Canellos, MD and H. Franklin Bunn, MD for accepting my idea and giving me an opportunity to present this topic to a wider audience. I thank Kristen Helm for her continuous editorial support in completing this issue. Finally, I thank my wife, Revati, and my children, Samika and Rachita, for their support and love.

I hope you will enjoy reading this issue.

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