Status of the heart during a combined method of treating patients with stage I to II lymphogranulomatosis

: The effects of combined therapy (polychemotherapy and radiotherapy) of 162 patients with stage I-II Hodgkin's disease were studied. A retrospective analysis of x-ray findings led to the detection of exudate in the pericardial cavity unrecognized in hospital in 7.7% of the patients. Combined therapy caused its reverse development into adhesive pericarditis. X-ray assessment of the cardiac state during a follow-up (3-5 yrs.) revealed various postradiation complications: limited pleuropericardial adhesions (17%), extensive pleuropericardial adhesions revealing the right spinal contour (12.7%), exudative pericarditis (0.7%), and adhesive pericarditis (12.7%). A low rate and degree of postradiation injuries of the pericardium could be accounted for by preliminary polychemotherapy making it possible to reduce radiation fields in subsequent irradiation.