[Stereotaxic treatment of expanding cysts in craniopharyngiomas by endocavitary beta-irradiation (Re-186; Au-198; Y-90)].

The authors report the results of 17 intracystic injection of colloidal 186 rhenium, 2 colloidal 198 gold, and 1 colloidal 90 yttrium for endocavitary treatment of 18 cystic craniopharyngiomas (16 pts during a period ranging from January 1975 till July 1982. Follow-up studies ranging from 12 to 72 months (m: 36 m) revealed that all craniopharyngiomas cysts were effectively treated with cessation of fluid formation, progressive shrinkage of the formerly expansive cysts, and finally cyst obliteration in 75% of the cases. No early or late side-effects were observed during the entire observation period. Late reexpansion of one craniopharyngioma cyst, observed at 11 months, was successfully treated by a second injection. Leakage of colloid isotope into the CSF spaces during the "test" or "therapeutic" injections occurred in 18% of the global number of injections, however no clinical complications were observed. On the basis of a clinical dosimetric study a 30 000 rads wall-dose, not exceeding 40 000 rads is actually considered as the safer dose for endocavitary treatment of craniopharyngioma.