Evaluation of serial changes on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging after implantation of carmustine wafers in patients with malignant gliomas for differential diagnosis of tumor recurrence

Carmustine wafers are approved for localized treatment of malignant glioma. In this study, overall changes in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) images of malignant glioma patients treated with carmustine wafer implantation were evaluated. The subjects were 25 patients undergoing craniotomy for malignant glioma resection and carmustine wafer implantation. Changes in the appearance of wafers, the resection cavity, and the adjacent parenchyma on CT and MR imaging were evaluated retrospectively. On CT, the wafers changed from an initially high-dense to an iso-dense appearance. All MR studies showed a low-intense wafer within 2 days. The wafers changed to a high- or iso-intense appearance on fluid attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted imaging, whereas they changed to an iso- to low-intense appearance on T2-weighted imaging. Gas in the cavity increased gradually after surgery, achieved a peak at 1 week postoperatively, and then disappeared in 1–3 months. Increased volume of the resection cavity was observed in 48 % of patients. Regarding changes in the adjacent parenchyma, obvious contrast enhancement at the wall of the resection cavity was seen in 91 % of cases at 1 month, but this disappeared gradually. Edema around the resection cavity was increased in 7 patients (28 %), of whom only two experienced symptoms due to edema. We conclude that these radiological changes after carmustine wafer implantation should be carefully followed up, because these changes can easily be mistaken for infectious disease or recurrent tumors.