BACKGROUND
It is important to identify the neuroimaging features that are associated with partial epilepsy in preschool children. Advances in technology recently to localize focal epileptogenic lesions, especially that of high-resolution structural imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The recommendation that electroencephalography (EEG) should be gold criteria and that M.R.I should be optional has been questioned.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aims to to explore the brain lesions on MRI and its association to electroencephalogram in children with partial epilepsy.
METHODS
The present study was conducted among 112 preschool children with history of partial seizures. All patients underwent EEG and brain MRI. The epileptogenic lesions were identified on the basis of the signal intensities and morphological abnormalities seen on MRI. The correlation between MRI and EEG abnormalities was explored using a chi-square test.
RESULTS
Abnormal MRI were found in 34.8% (n = 39) of the sample. The EEG and MRI agreed with respect to classify into abnormal or normal in 48.2% (n = 54). Of the 27 patients with a normal EEG, six (22.2%) were seen to have an abnormal MRI.
CONCLUSIONS
A number of MRI abnormalities was found in our study of otherwise
normal children, although the correlation between these results was not clear. Follow-up of these children will help us identify the important abnormalities. Despite of small sample, our results showed that a normal E.E.G findings does not predict a normal brain MRI in children with partial epilepsy.
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