PURPOSE: To look for brain abnormalities by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS), which is the most common epilepsy syndrome in children. METHODS: Eighteen children, aged 6-12 years, with typical BCECTS were examined with MRI, six of them twice. RESULTS: Some hippocampal abnormality was found in six (33%) of the children, all with the syndrome's typical electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern ipsilaterally. Hippocampal size asymmetry was found in five (28%) children (right side < left in two and left < right in three), and high signal intensities on T2-weighted images were found in three (17%). Two children also had other abnormalities; one had a heterotopic nodule near the contralateral frontal horn, and one had an Arnold-Chiari malformation. The hippocampal asymmetry remained unchanged in three of the children who were reexamined after 2 years. High signal intensities on T2-weighted images were seen beneath the cortex-white matter junction in the frontal and temporal lobes of five (28%) children, one of whom also had a hippocampal asymmetry. MRIs were normal in eight (44%) children. CONCLUSION: For the first time, hippocampal asymmetries and white-matter abnormalities have been detectable on the MRIs of children with typical BCECTS. The etiology of the former is unclear, whereas the latter may be a result of a maturational delay involving a defective myelination. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to evaluate the relation between these findings and the clinical course of BCECTS.
PURPOSE: To look for brain abnormalities by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS), which is the most common epilepsy syndrome in children. METHODS: Eighteen children, aged 6-12 years, with typical BCECTS were examined with MRI, six of them twice. RESULTS: Some hippocampal abnormality was found in six (33%) of the children, all with the syndrome's typical electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern ipsilaterally. Hippocampal size asymmetry was found in five (28%) children (right side < left in two and left < right in three), and high signal intensities on T2-weighted images were found in three (17%). Two children also had other abnormalities; one had a heterotopic nodule near the contralateral frontal horn, and one had an Arnold-Chiari malformation. The hippocampal asymmetry remained unchanged in three of the children who were reexamined after 2 years. High signal intensities on T2-weighted images were seen beneath the cortex-white matter junction in the frontal and temporal lobes of five (28%) children, one of whom also had a hippocampal asymmetry. MRIs were normal in eight (44%) children. CONCLUSION: For the first time, hippocampal asymmetries and white-matter abnormalities have been detectable on the MRIs of children with typical BCECTS. The etiology of the former is unclear, whereas the latter may be a result of a maturational delay involving a defective myelination. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to evaluate the relation between these findings and the clinical course of BCECTS.
Authors: Jerrold L Boxerman; Karameh Hawash; Bhavna Bali; Tara Clarke; Jeffrey Rogg; Deb K Pal Journal: Epilepsy Res Date: 2007-07 Impact factor: 3.045
Authors: Geke M Overvliet; René M H Besseling; Jacobus F A Jansen; Sylvie J M van der Kruijs; Johannes S H Vles; Paul A M Hofman; Saskia C M Ebus; Anton de Louw; Albert P Aldenkamp; Walter H Backes Journal: Neuroimage Clin Date: 2013-03-22 Impact factor: 4.881
Authors: René M H Besseling; Jacobus F A Jansen; Geke M Overvliet; Sylvie J M van der Kruijs; Saskia C M Ebus; Anton de Louw; Paul A M Hofman; Johannes S H Vles; Albert P Aldenkamp; Walter H Backes Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-12-23 Impact factor: 3.240