What is a common subacute post radiation syndrome following total CNS radiation?

Myelitis is recognized as a common subacute post-radiation syndrome following total central nervous system (CNS) radiation due to the sensitivity of the spinal cord and neurological structures to radiation exposure. When radiation is applied to the CNS, it can cause inflammation of the spinal cord, leading to myelitis, which can manifest several weeks to months after treatment.

This phenomenon results from the pathological effects of radiation on the delicate nerve tissues, leading to a range of neurological symptoms dependent on the area affected. Radiation-induced myelitis typically presents with signs like weakness, sensory changes, and other neurological deficits, differentiating it from acutely occurring symptoms that are more immediate in nature.

While conditions such as hypersomnia, low white blood cell counts (WBC), and esophagitis may occur in varying settings of radiation treatment, they are not specifically identified as common subacute syndromes associated with total CNS radiation. For example, hypersomnia can occur due to various factors unrelated to CNS radiation specifically, low WBC could be connected to bone marrow suppression depending on the treatment site, and esophagitis is more commonly associated with radiation to the thoracic region rather than the CNS. Therefore, myelitis stands out as the principal concern in