Brain CT-scanning and neurological examination in small cell bronchogenic carcinoma

A brain CT-scan and a neurological examination were performed on forty-nine consecutive patients with small cell bronchogenic carcinoma before the start of chemotherapy and every three months thereafter. Contrast-enhancement was used in 90% of the CT-scans. Ninety percent of the neurologic examinations were performed by the same neurologist. No prophylactic cranial irradiation was given, and cranial irradiation was withheld if a CT-scan indicated metastases, unless the patient was symptomatic.